3. Health Services—Ophthalmology Cases and Adverse EventsHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of HealthHealth Services—Ophthalmology Cases and Adverse Events3. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement we are focused on results"?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes. Across the hundreds of services that district health boards (DHBs) provide it is inevitable that from time to time performance has to be raised in a specific service but the wider picture is that more and more New Zealanders are getting more and more access to these hundreds of services on an ongoing basis. Hon Annette King: Is he proud of the result from the latest adverse events report released today which sets out the effect on thousands of people waiting well beyond recommended waiting times for eye treatment that his commission said has led to deterioration of eye conditions?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well that report released today very much reinforces my opening statement there. There are some services that need attention. Ophthalmology services in three DHBs have a recovery plan in place but the broader picture of that report is actually that the number of adverse effects is absolutely flat. The whole point of the Health Quality and Safety Commission is to highlight areas of the system where improvement can be made. In tandem with that report they have today released the open for results report and that actually reveals a huge number of positive results for instance: since January 2015 52 fewer falls resulted in a broken hip; since July 2013 there was a reduction in surgical site infection rates from 1.3 percent to 0.9 percent—so much better for patients; fewer children and young people dying since 2010—547 fewer deaths in children; and of course since January 2013 54000 fewer bed days saving $42 million across the system. So it is a system that is delivering better results and making better use—Mr SPEAKER: Order!Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: —of the money focusing on results.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The answer is long enough.Hon Annette King: When he was told 18 months ago about the appalling waiting times for eye treatment appointments across New Zealand—not one or two DHBs—by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists what was his first action in response? Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: My first action was to go and look at the facts and the facts are actually that appointments for eye specialists have increased by 25 percent over the last 8 years ophthalmology operations have increased by 28 percent from 18000 to 23000 operations per year and specialist Avastin injections for glaucoma have doubled from 4000 to 8000. So actually it just reinforces what I was saying at the start: we are doing more and more people are getting more and more access to services but of course there is always more to do.Hon Annette King: How significant is it to have the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists write to every member of Parliament this week including a comprehensive briefing stating they have limited resources to follow up on treatment leading to increased health risk to patients with chronic eye disease—not first specialist assessment but follow-up treatment that they are not getting?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I think it is always good to hear from doctors and I appreciate the engagement. I will be meeting with the college of opthamalogists to discuss how we can continue to deliver this ongoing uplift of eye services for New Zealanders.Hon Annette King: How can GPs mental health workers ambulance officers medical specialists public health experts and NGOs all be so wrong when they tell the Minister there are not enough resources and the Government has got its priorities wrong?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well as usual the member is grossly exaggerating. There are many many health workers in New Zealand—and I know because I actually go out and speak to them—who support the Government's direction and actually appreciate that there is a far greater focus on results unlike the times when Labour was running the health system when there was more and more money but people got fewer operations and people had to fly to Australia for cancer treatment."