Dunedin and Southland emergency departments' (ED) performance in the latest DHB league tables improved, although the Southern District Health Board remained 17th of the 20 DHBs, the same as in the first quarter.
In the second quarter of 2011-12, the SDHB managed to treat or refer 88% of ED patients within six hours. Last time, it was 85% of patients. The target is 95%, which only nine DHBs met.
Dunedin Hospital's ED is the subject of a major internal improvement project because of unacceptably long waiting times.
Publicising the results, Health Minister Tony Ryall said, nationally, emergency departments had their best result since the National-led Government introduced the ED target.
Of 238,000 patients, 92% were treated or referred within six hours, Mr Ryall said in a press release.
In other targets, Southern performed better than last time for access to elective surgery (101%; last time: 97%); vaccination (94%; same as last time); shorter waits for cancer treatment (100%; same as last time); better help for smokers to quit (88%; last time: 85%); and diabetes and cardiovascular services (78%; last time: 79%).
