Wagner Nicky: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Wagner Nicky: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:665;Page:12719] 
NICKY WAGNER (National) 
: 
 This Government is committed to better sooner and more convenient health care. That is why Vote Health 2010-11 is the second-largest vote in the Budget with appropriations sought totalling just over $13.574 billion. I say that again—$13.574 billion. All district health boards are receiving an increase in funding and front-line services have been boosted. Front-line services are improving across the country. We are also getting better value for money. Under Labour we saw money being thrown at health problems but with very poor results. The health budget skyrocketed but health outcomes went nowhere. Our Government believes that it is possible to manage only what is measured. Therefore based on public priority the Government has introduced six key health targets for district health boards. Just as important all district health boards are required to report to the public quarterly on these health targets. 
There is nothing like transparency and accountability to make sure we get the best possible results and good value for money. Members may have seen the quarterly district health board reports in their local newspapers. They look like the one I am holding up. There have been three quarterly reports so far so the public can now assess how their district health board is performing in the six key goals. Like everyone I always want to focus on my home town which is Christchurch. Along with many others I have been following closely what the Canterbury District Health Board has been doing. I can see its strengths I can see where it is improving and I can see its weaknesses. But now I and all other citizens of Christchurch and Canterbury know how our district health board is performing in comparison to others. 
I am particularly interested in immunisation because it can protect our children prevent a number of diseases and is a very cost-effective health intervention. Immunisation provides not only individual protection from some diseases but also population-wide protection by reducing the incidence of diseases and preventing them from spreading to vulnerable people. Some of these population-wide benefits arise only with high immunisation rates depending on the infectiousness of the disease and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Under Labour New Zealand’s immunisation rates were low by international standards and were not sufficient to prevent or reduce the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis which is whooping cough. This Government has made immunisation one of the six main health targets and is committed to a 3-year improvement programme with a national goal of 95 percent of children fully immunised at 2 years of age. The target is staged beginning with 85 percent of 2-year-olds being immunised by July 2010 90 percent by July 2011 and 95 percent by July 2012. 
There has been good progress against these targets since they were introduced. We have substantially beaten the 85 percent target which was due at the end of last month. Eighty-seven percent of 2-year-olds have been immunised. It is a vast improvement on the mere 80 percent who were immunised 2 years ago. In fact it is a fantastic result. It is better for kids better for families and better for our health system. We expect with the added focus of collating statistics by district health boards every quarter that there will be a continued improvement and we will smash those targets. I can track these results locally by following the Canterbury District Health Board report. At the end of 2009 Canterbury had immunised 84 percent of its 2-year-olds. By March it was 86 percent which is already above the target and at the end of June it was 89 percent. I congratulate the Canterbury District Health Board on a very fine effort in surpassing the target. This Government is committed to better sooner and more convenient health care. We are investing heavily in the sector.