Clark unveils health charter

Press, 24 June 1989, Page 9

Clark unveils health charter

PA Auckland The Minister of Health, Ms Clark, last evening revealed details of a national health charter involving introduction of a “business planning cycle” and performance standards for health boards.

The cycle means boards will have to negotiate individual business plans with the Government each year, demonstrate they are managing capital assets and property efficiently, and show what steps they are taking to address health needs.

She said performance standards would also be set for basic services, “and the board will be expected to attain them.” The Minister, addressing an Auckland award ceremony, said the effective delivery of public health care would be assisted by the Government’s establishment of a national health charter. She said the business planning cycle would ensure boards and managers were clear about health objectives and resources which were available to implement them. Performance standards would include a board’s performance in terms of admissions, length of stay, outpatient attendances, surgical waiting lists and

quality of care, all of which would be reviewed.

Meanwhile, the resource utilisation system, which is being implemented in a number of hospitals, would allow, through its computer system, comparisons to be made between various clinicians, and different hospital treatment methods.

“It will also help managers to identify areas of unnecessary cost,” she said.

“Improved accounting, costing and management information systems are essential to more effective use of the available resources in the health sector, and thus to improvement in our health services.”

Clinicians admitting and discharging patients, deciding on courses of treatment or use of equipment, were also making decisions which had an effect on health, patient care and resources.

“They too need information about the costs

of the different treatment options,” she said. Ms Clark spoke at Auckland Hospital where she presented the inaugural Institute of Health Management’s Silver Fern Award for financial information. The winner of the award was Mr Wayne McLean, the operations manager of the Waikato Hospital Board.

He and the two other finalists, Mr John McManaway, the finance director of the Northland Area Health Board and Mr Rufus Bishop, the treasurer of the Tauranga Hospital Board, had to submit annual accounts, general manager and board reports and management reports to judges. The award was judged on the quality of financial information conveyed by the reports.

Mr McLean received a trophy and $4OOO for a professional development project from the sponsor, Integrated Computer Systems.