Articles tagged with Health Minister
Showing 15 of 153 articles
New Dunedin Hospital Inpatient Building Construction Contract Signed by Health Minister Simeon Brown with CPB Contractors Limited
18 Sep 2025 | 11 months ago | 1172 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown announced the signing of the contract with CPB Contractors Limited for the construction of Dunedin Hospital’s new inpatient building. The $1.88 billion New Dunedin Hospital program is New Zealand’s largest health infrastructure project, providing economic benefits and over 900 jobs during construction. The project, set to be completed by 2031, aims to deliver a safe, modern hospital that meets the region's needs, with CPB Contractors Limited overseeing the construction under close monitoring to ensure timely and within-budget completion.
Tags: Simeon Brown CPB Contractors Limited Dunedin Hospital Health Minister New Zealand Otago Southland Health New Zealand Cadbury site Crown ManagerInnovative Nurse-Led Cystoscopy Service Improving Bladder Cancer Care at Dunedin Hospital
17 Sep 2025 | 11 months ago | 1162 viewsA new nurse-led cystoscopy service at Dunedin Hospital is ensuring timely follow-up care for bladder cancer patients, with 290 patients seen since its launch in November 2024. This service, led by two skilled nurses, has successfully kept all 150 patients on the surveillance programme on track with their cystoscopies, completing 10 to 15 follow-ups weekly. The initiative not only improves patient access to care but also optimizes workforce utilization, allowing specialists to focus on more complex procedures and contributing to achieving faster cancer treatment targets.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister cystoscopy bladder cancer patients surveillance procedures specialist doctors innovation cancer treatment target nurse practitionersChristchurch Hospital Unveils $4.7M Ambulatory Care Hub for Seamless Patient Services
16 Sep 2025 | 11 months ago | 1166 viewsThe refurbishment of Christchurch Hospital's Ambulatory Care Hub is complete, as announced by Health Minister Simeon Brown, marking a significant advancement in outpatient care in Canterbury. The hub, costing $4.7 million, consolidates six key outpatient services into one location, providing a coordinated and patient-friendly environment for services like medical and oncology day units, respiratory physiology, and neurophysiology. The integrated hub aims to streamline patient experiences, improve care efficiency, and support faster cancer treatment, demonstrating a commitment to patient-focused health infrastructure by ensuring accessible outpatient care for New Zealanders.
Tags: Christchurch Hospital Ambulatory Care Hub Simeon Brown outpatient care Canterbury Health Minister Waipapa building Parkside Block A Medical and Oncology Day Units Respiratory PhysiologyWhanganui Hospital Dental Unit Gets Modern Upgrade for Better Patient Care
12 Sep 2025 | 12 months ago | 1172 viewsWhanganui Hospital's dental unit has been modernized and upgraded to provide a brighter, more accessible space for patients, with improvements including an enlarged waiting room and dedicated areas for IV sedation. The refurbishment aimed to enhance patient flow, safety, and accessibility, with improved wheelchair access and a new recovery space for sedation patients. The upgraded unit now features modernized dental rooms with new equipment to enable efficient and safe care delivery, reflecting the government's commitment to providing fit-for-purpose health facilities that meet community needs.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister patients dental unit refurbishment oral healthcare IV sedation wheelchair users modernised careRevolutionizing Health Workforce Regulation for Faster Patient Access
12 Sep 2025 | 12 months ago | 976 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown announces changes to modernize health workforce regulation to improve patient access to care by reducing bureaucratic red tape and recognizing overseas qualifications more quickly. The changes aim to streamline regulation, increase accountability, and align New Zealand with Australia to speed up access to care and support new healthcare delivery models while maintaining patient safety. Patients will have a voice in ensuring regulators work towards improving access to care, and the changes will help attract, train, and retain the healthcare workforce needed to deliver timely, quality care.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister patients care regulation workforce access professionals New Zealand AustraliaNew Zealand's 24/7 Digital Health Service: 21,000+ Consultations Delivered, Fast Access to Care
09 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1273 viewsThe Government's new 24/7 digital health service, launched in July, has provided over 21,000 consultations to 19,331 people across New Zealand. It is most commonly used when timely GP appointments are unavailable and has successfully treated 83.5% of patients without requiring an in-person GP follow-up. The service has made healthcare more accessible, especially for working-age adults and parents, reaching people in all communities and making a significant impact on daily lives by providing timely and quality care.
Tags: consultations digital health service Health Minister Simeon Brown New Zealanders GP appointment emergency departments healthcare parents digital serviceGovernment Exceeds Elective Boost Target: 16,005 Procedures Delivered, Wait Times Reduced
07 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1082 viewsThe Government has surpassed its initial Elective Boost target by delivering over 16,000 additional procedures, reducing patient wait times, as stated by Health Minister Simeon Brown. The procedures included hip, knee, and cataract surgeries, benefiting people of various ages and backgrounds across different regions of New Zealand. This achievement is part of the Government's plan to decrease elective treatment wait times, aiming to treat 95% of patients within four months by 2030, with ongoing efforts to further enhance healthcare accessibility.
Tags: Government Elective Boost Health Minister Simeon Brown procedures surgeries patients wait times Kiwis elective treatment New ZealandersSignificant Drop in Auckland Cardiology Waitlist Eases Patient Access to Specialist Care
05 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1283 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown notes a 25% decrease in the cardiology first specialist assessment (FSA) waitlist in Auckland since November 2023, with patient numbers dropping from 3,829 to 2,847 between November 2023 and March 2025. The reduction in wait times has been significant, especially for those waiting over four months, with a 73% decrease from 663 to 179. Progress has been made across all three Auckland districts, reflecting efforts to expand clinic capacity, improve systems for reminders and follow-ups, and streamline scheduling to reduce delays in booking appointments. The goal is to ensure that 95% of patients are seen within four months by 2030, with ongoing efforts to further reduce wait times and improve access to timely specialist care.
Tags: Auckland cardiologist Health Minister Simeon Brown cardiology FSA heart disease New Zealand patients waitlist clinical teamsHealth Minister Urges Binding Arbitration to End Healthcare Dispute
04 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1075 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown has urged Health New Zealand and ASMS to swiftly engage in binding arbitration to settle their dispute, which stems from an expired collective agreement despite previous efforts like mediation and bargaining. The ongoing strike actions by ASMS have disrupted care for numerous patients, with a potential future strike threatening more disruptions. The Government emphasizes the importance of providing timely and quality healthcare to all New Zealanders, and both parties must confirm their acceptance of arbitration by Friday 4:00 PM.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister Health New Zealand Association of Salaried Medical Specialists arbitration collective agreement strike action patients healthcare New ZealandersGovernment Launches First Crisis Recovery Café in Whanganui to Support Mental Health
02 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1186 viewsThe Mental Health Minister opened Whanganui’s new Crisis Recovery Café at Aunty’s Café, the first of six cafés being rolled out by the Government nationwide. These cafés, led by Balance Aotearoa and iwi providers, offer peer-led, non-clinical support for individuals facing mental health or addiction challenges in a community setting. The Government aims to reduce pressure on traditional crisis systems by providing faster access to support, increasing frontline workers, and enhancing crisis response through initiatives like crisis cafés and peer support specialist roles in emergency departments.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Crisis Recovery Café Balance Aotearoa Te Oranganui Hāpai Mauri Tangata peer support specialist mental health plan Health NZ frontline workersNew Zealand Nurses Strike: Impact on Patient Care & Wait Times
01 Sep 2025 | 1 year ago | 1239 viewsThe New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) union has decided to strike, leading to delays in healthcare services for thousands of New Zealanders, including cancellations of surgeries and treatments, delays in specialist assessments, and critical follow-up appointments. The strike is seen as a political move by the union, impacting patients already in pain and waiting for treatment, with concerns raised about transparency in the decision-making process. Despite the government's investments in nursing workforce salaries and benefits, efforts are being made to reduce wait times and prioritize patient care, urging the NZNO union to return to negotiations and prioritize patients over politics.
Tags: New Zealanders Care Nurses Organisation Simeon Brown Strike Health Minister Patients Nurses NZNO union WaitlistsNew Zealand’s Emergency Services Boosted by Digital Technology for Rapid Location of At-Risk Individuals
21 Aug 2025 | 1 year ago | 1526 viewsNew Zealand's emergency services are implementing the Device Location Information (DLI) service to quickly locate individuals at risk without them having to call 111, enhancing response times in critical situations. The DLI technology allows emergency services to track mobile phones in emergencies, aiding search and rescue operations and assisting in health emergencies by locating individuals who may have fallen unconscious during a call. This new system streamlines the process by eliminating the need for manual requests to mobile network operators, ensuring quicker and more efficient emergency responses while maintaining privacy and transparency through rigorous authorization processes.
Tags: New Zealand emergency services digital technology Police Minister Mark Mitchell Associate Health Minister Casey Costello Device Location Information real time search and rescue operations health emergencies Telecommunications Information Privacy CodeRevolutionizing Brain Tumour Diagnosis in New Zealand: Faster and Accurate Results with DNA Methylation Profiling
15 Aug 2025 | 1 year ago | 1418 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown announces that over 100 New Zealanders have benefited from DNA methylation profiling, a groundbreaking diagnostic tool for brain tumour diagnoses at Auckland City Hospital. This technology allows for more precise and quicker identification of tumour types, leading to earlier treatment initiation. The service in Auckland is one of three in Australasia, providing faster access to advanced diagnostic technology locally, improving outcomes for patients and reducing costs associated with sending samples overseas for analysis.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister New Zealanders DNA methylation profiling brain tumours Auckland City Hospital diagnostic technology Kiwi patients cancer treatment diagnostic toolsSignificant Drop in Northland Heart Specialist Waitlist, Improving Access to Timely Care
10 Aug 2025 | 1 year ago | 1337 viewsThe Health Minister Simeon Brown announces a 36% decrease in the Northland waitlist for First Specialist Assessments (FSAs) since November 2023, emphasizing the importance of timely access to heart specialist care in detecting conditions early. The cardiology FSA waitlist in Northland dropped from 1,091 to 691 between November 2023 and March 2025, with a 68% decrease in patients waiting longer than four months. The reduction in waitlists is attributed to initiatives such as running cardiac clinics at rural hospitals, coordinating assessments to minimize visits, and expanding local services, reflecting a commitment to improving access to heart care in Northland.
Tags: Northland Health Minister Simeon Brown Heart disease New Zealand Cardiology Patients Waitlist Heart condition Rural hospitals Whangārei HospitalSignificant Drop in Waikato Waitlist for Heart and Lung Surgery: Health Minister
10 Aug 2025 | 1 year ago | 1301 viewsThe number of patients waiting for critical heart and lung surgery in Waikato has decreased by 70% since November 2023, with the waitlist dropping from 90 to 27 people. Health Minister Simeon Brown commends the progress, emphasizing the importance of timely access to healthcare for all Kiwis. The improvements are attributed to the dedication of frontline health workers in the region and the government's focus on reducing wait times for elective procedures to ensure quality healthcare for all New Zealanders.
Tags: Waikato patients heart surgery lung surgery Health Minister Simeon Brown treatment waitlist healthcare surgery delivery