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Health Targets

The Targets


Targets and Indicators
Health Target
National Indicator
Improving immunisation coverageNinety-five percent of two-year-olds are fully immunised.

With at least 4 to 6 percent point increase on 2005 national immunisation coverage survey baselines.
Improving oral healthProgress is made towards 85 percent adolescent oral health utilisation.
Improving elective servicesEach DHB will maintain compliance in all Elective Services Patient Flow Indicators (ESPIs). (These indicators measure how well a hospital manages the patient ‘flow’ through the system.)

Each DHB will set an agreed increase in the number of elective service discharges, and will provide the level of service agreed.
Reducing cancer waiting timesAll patients in category A, B and C wait less than eight weeks between first specialist assessment and the start of radiation oncology treatment (excludes category D patients).
Reducing ambulatory sensitive (avoidable) hospital admissionsThere will be a decline in admissions to hospital that are avoidable or preventable by primary health care for those aged 0 to 74 years across all population groups.
Improving diabetes servicesThere will be an increase in the percentage of people in all population groups:
  • estimated to have diabetes accessing free annual checks
  • on the diabetes register who have good diabetes management
  • on the diabetes register who have had retinal screening in the past two years.

There will be improved equity for all population groups in relation to diabetes management.
Improving mental health servicesAt least 90 percent of long-term clients have up-to-date relapse prevention plans (NMHSS criteria 16.4).
Improving nutrition, increasing physical activity and reducing obesityDHB activity supports achievement of these health sector targets.
  • Increase the proportion of infants exclusively and fully breastfed at six weeks to 74 percent or greater; at three months to 57 percent or greater; and at six months to 27 percent or greater.
  • Increase the proportion of adults (15+ years) eating three or more servings of vegetables per day to 70 percent or greater.
  • Increase the proportion of adults eating two or more servings of fruit per day to 62 percent or greater.
Reducing the harm caused by tobaccoDHB activity supports achievement of these health sector targets:
  • Increase the proportion of ‘never smokers’ among Year 10 students by at least 2 percent (absolute increase) over 2007/08.
  • Increase the proportion of homes, which contain one or more smokers and one or more children, that have a smokefree policy to over 75 percent in 2007/08.
Reducing the percentage of the health budget spent on the Ministry of HealthThe percentage of the health budget spent on the Ministry of Health is reduced to 1.65 percent of the total Vote Health operating budget by the end of 2009/10.

Full year (2007/08) progress summaries and detailed information (October 2008)


Summaries on progress towards each Target for Quarters One, Two, Three and Four for the 2007/08 financial year, from the Ministry of Health Target champions, and more detailed information (eg, graphs and their source data) are provided on the Quarterly Reports page.

Specific DHB information
Specific information on each DHBs progress towards their local targets is provided on their individual pages. You can access them on the Targets by DHB page.


Why were these 10 Health Targets selected?


The 10 Health Targets were introduced in August 2007 to stretch and challenge the health sector to produce measurable gains through steady and repeated improvements across a number of areas:

  • Getting ahead of the chronic disease burden
  • Child and youth services
  • Primary health care
  • Health of older people
  • Elective service
  • Infrastructure
  • Value for money

Will all DHBs be expected to reach the same target?


No. Each DHB has set target levels for their communities based on local conditions and experience. The Ministry of Health led Health Targets were set based on available national information.

What is the lifespan of a target and how often will they be reviewed?

There will be a core set of targets over a 3–5-year period that does not change so that progress can be measured consistently. The targets and indicators within the target programmes will be reviewed annually to ensure they reflect the important health priorities of the day.
Page last updated: 12 October 2008


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