44372 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

44372 (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 ‘Work with clinical experts to define agreed minimum access thresholds for various conditions and work toward national capacity for such access recognising this will be a long term objective’ 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 worked with clinical experts to define nationally standardised access thresholds, most notably within the national cataract pathway. To support a phased harmonisation of cataract thresholds, Health NZ has invested in an additional cataract procedures and will continue this approach in FY 24/25. I am further advised that work to review access thresholds across a range of high-impact specialties such as orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and ORL is currently underway.