Health Targets

Quarterly Reports
Reducing Cancer Waiting Times Target

Summaries from the Target Champion and detailed information on the national progress towards this target is provided below:

• Full year - 2007/08
• Quarter Three 2007/08
• Quarter Two 2007/08
• Quarter One 2007/08

Specific information on each DHB's progress towards this target is provided on their individual pages. You can access them on the Targets by DHB page.

---

Full year - 2007/08

07/08 Target Achievement - target achieved and extended By June 2008, 539 people or 97% of all patients started radiation treatment within eight weeks – 65% of them within four weeks. The new target is for all patients to be treated within six weeks of first assessment.

07/08 Achievement by Region

The source data is provided via the links below the graphs.

More detailed Cancer Waiting Times Data is provided in the Cancer Control section.

Percentage of cancer patients receiving megavoltage radiation treatment in less than 8 weeks, March 2003 to May 2008

Auckland region - including Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs

Midland region - including Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Taranaki DHBs

4. Central region - including Capital and Coast, Hutt, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, MidCentral and Whanganui DHBs

5. Southern region - including Canterbury, South Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, Southland and Nelson Marlborough DHBs

---

Quarter Three 2007/08

Summary from the Target Champion

Statutory holidays and staff leave over the Christmas/New Year period affected capacity to provide treatment in all centres, with an increase of cancer waiting times during January and early February 2008. Most cancer centres have rebounded quickly and, by March 2008, 92 percent of patients were treated within eight weeks between first specialist assessment and the start of radiation oncology treatment. The target for 2007/08 is for all patients to be treated within eight weeks from their specialist assessment. This excludes patients in category D, who are having their radiation treatment following chemotherapy. Recent waiting times’ reports show that at the end of March: MidCentral, Capital and Coast, and Canterbury cancer centres remain below the target with 85, 82 and 94 percent (respectively) of patients starting within eight week in the Midland region, 98 percent of patients are starting treatment within six weeks, and more than 94 percent within four weeks in the Auckland region, more than 99 percent of patients are starting treatment within eight weeks. The Ministry continues to work with DHBs to ensure progress towards the target. This includes: work towards sharing capacity across cancer centres planning for investment in additional and replacement Linear Accelerators (machines that provide radiation treat)

Detailed information

The following graphs show the proportion of cancer patients that started radiation treatment before eight weeks and from four to eight weeks from their first specialist assessment, on a national and regional level. The target is 100%.

The source data is provided via the links below the graphs.

More detailed Cancer Waiting Times Data is provided in the Cancer Control section.

Wait times for patients in priority categories A, B & C.

1. National

2. Auckland region - including Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs

3. Midland region - including Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Taranaki DHBs

4. Central region - including Capital and Coast, Hutt, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, MidCentral and Whanganui DHBs

5. Southern region - including Canterbury, South Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, Southland and Nelson Marlborough DHBs

---

Quarter Two 2007/08

Summary from the Target Champion

Cancer waiting times in the second quarter showed a steady increase in the number of patients starting treatment within four weeks. In December 2007, 96 per cent of patients were treated within eight weeks between first specialist assessment and the start of radiation oncology treatment. The target for 2007/08 is for all patients to be treated within eight weeks from their specialist assessment. This excludes patients in category “D”, who are having their radiation treatment alongside a course of chemotherapy. Recent waiting times’ reports also suggest that: MidCentral, Capital and Coast and Canterbury cancer centres still have a small number of patients waiting longer than eight weeks. The Ministry is working with these DHBs to help them make continued improvements in capacity in the Midland region, 98 per cent of patients are starting treatment within six weeks and more than 93 percent within four weeks in the Auckland region, more than 97 per cent of patients are starting treatment within eight weeks. The Ministry continues to work with DHBs to maintain steady progress towards the target.

Detailed information

The following graphs show the proportion of cancer patients that started radiation treatment before eight weeks and from four to eight weeks from their first specialist assessment, on a national and regional level. The target is 100%.

The source data is provided via the links below the graphs.

More detailed Cancer Waiting Times Data is provided in the Cancer Control section.

Wait times for patients in priority categories A, B & C.

1. National

2. Auckland region - including Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs

3. Midland region - including Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Taranaki DHBs

4. Central region - including Capital and Coast, Hutt, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, MidCentral and Whanganui DHBs

5. Southern region - including Canterbury, South Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, Southland and Nelson Marlborough DHBs

---

Quarter One 2007/08

Summary from the Target Champion

The target for 2007/08 is for all patients to be treated within 8 weeks from their first specialist assessment. This excludes patients in category 'D', who are having their radiation treatment alongside a course of chemotherapy. Recent waiting times’ reports suggest that: most cancer centres will not only reach this target, but will surpass it during the current year the majority of patients are being treated within the 'best practice' time of 4 weeks current results show 80 percent of patients treated within four weeks in September is as good as has ever been achieved in New Zealand.

Detailed information

The following graphs show the proportion of cancer patients that started radiation treatment before eight weeks and from four to eight weeks from their first specialist assessment, on a national and regional level. The target is 100%.

The source data is provided via the links below the graphs.

More detailed Cancer Waiting Times Data is provided in the Cancer Control section.

Wait times for patients in priority categories A, B & C.

1. National

2. Auckland region - including Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs

3. Midland region - including Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Taranaki DHBs

4. Central region - including Capital and Coast, Hutt, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, MidCentral and Whanganui DHBs

5. Southern region - including Canterbury, South Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, Southland and Nelson Marlborough DHBs

Page last updated: 17 October 2008