Emergency doctors respond to National Party’s healthcare systems target pledge

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) acknowledges the New Zealand National Party’s election pledge to implement healthcare system targets and awaits further information on what solutions it would action to support the achievement of these targets.

The College, the peak body for emergency medicine in Aotearoa, was not consulted by the National Party in relation to this pledge.

Healthcare system targets are already widely used across New Zealand. Some targets – particularly ACEM’s Hospital Access Targets (HAT), introduced in 2020 – are effective tools that can encourage, direct and measure improvements in patient care.

However, to reduce the pressures in emergency departments (EDs) that lead to overly long waits for care, staff shortages and other issues, and rising levels of violence, it is vital targets are concurrently implemented with a suite of research-informed solutions.

Last week, ACEM released five solutions for the crisis in EDs, and encouraged all political parties to commit to them to get more patients the care they need, faster.

ACEM representatives work with hospitals, government, and Te Whatu Ora to advise on how HAT can be used effectively, alongside a range of solutions, to improve patient care.

ACEM extends this opportunity to all political parties contesting the 2023 election.