44308 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

44308 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What actions, if any, have been taken in the quarter (January to March 2024) to implement the recommendation ‘Consideration of the value of further follow-up each time a patient is seen in clinic – oversight of this should be provided by SMOs’ as part of Te Whatu Ora Planned Care Taskforce Reset and Restore Plan?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the January to March 2024 quarter, Health New Zealand districts and specialty services continued to manage and review follow-up waitlists. Districts continued to balance FSA and follow-up demand, and to review overdue waitlists, with clinical risk to patients as part of local operational management processes. I am further advised that during the quarter, reviewing follow-up plans at discharge was a component of work underway, including development of a patient-directed follow-up approach. Reviewing follow-up practice and options for alternative pathways and approaches to delivering care at district and service levels involves the leadership of senior clinicians such as SMOs working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.