Media
2024
NZPSHA Briefing Paper
Published December 2023 – Posted Feb 2024
Private surgical hospitals can support Government to reduce growing pressure on the public health system. In partnership, we can provide joint public-private solutions to the ever-growing financial and capacity constraint pressures.
Whole-of-sector approaches can work well as was demonstrated effectively during the COVID-19 response in early 2020. NZPSHA hospitals are an additional resource with the relevant capability to work effectively alongside the challenged public health sector. The private sector can also bring capital to the New Zealand health system, ensuring facilities are available without impacting Government funds to provide them.
We seek to take a whole-of-sector approach to workforce development and training by utilising the expertise of private surgical hospitals as a skilled training resource.
2023
Forté wins prestigious health industry award for diabetes initiative
4 April 2023
Forté has again taken out one of the top titles at the 'Leaders in Quality' Awards for its shared-care initiative for patients with diabetes.
The awards, run by the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association, were announced at a gala dinner on Tuesday 16 March. Forté won the clinical category of the Awards for its development and implementation of a shared-care, patient-centred approach to diabetes management. It's the second time Forté has won the 'Leaders in Quality' Award, first receiving it in 2021 for its paediatric initiatives.
2021
Prestigious health industry awards announced
18 March 2021
Christchurch’s Forte Health hospital has won a prestigious health industry award for its efforts to ‘improve the paediatric experience’ for patients.
Forte’s entry won the clinical category of the NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association’s Leaders in Quality Awards 2021.
The project was one of three finalists in the awards’ clinical category, with the judges lauding it as ‘a great concept, and fantastic from start to finish. It has so many useful elements ... and it has exceeded my expectations’.
2020
COVID-19
16 March 2020
The New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association member hospitals are constantly reviewing the situation on Novel Coronavirus – COVID-19.
Our member hospitals have clear guidelines for all patients, staff and visitors, to protect everyone’s health and wellbeing.
Please contact the relevant individual private surgical hospital if you are booked in for elective surgery.
For additional advice we recommend you phone Healthline on 0800 358 5453 and visit the Ministry of Health website.
2018
21 September 2018
Dunedin’s Mercy Hospital has won two prestigious private hospital sector industry awards. The Hospital’s Room Service entry won the non-clinical category of the NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association’s (NZPSHA) Leaders in Quality 2018 award and for its efforts to successfully transition internationally-qualified nurses (IQN) into the New Zealand nursing environment they won the awards’ clinical category.
The NZPSHA Leaders in Quality awards are presented bi-annually and recognise excellence across its 27 members spread across 39 private surgical facilities throughout New Zealand.
Lead judge for the 2018 event, Philippa Pringle, said the awards aim to showcase various quality initiatives across the sector.
“We want to recognise initiatives that lead to sector-wide learning and growth, that generate improved service and business delivery for our patients and that enhance the working environment for our staff.”
Refreshing the public health system needs tri-partisan approach
26 June 2018
A party politics’ free approach is critical to securing future sustainability of our health services, NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association president Richard Whitney says.
His comments follow Health Minister Dr David Clark’s announced intention to terminate the National Health Targets including the national patient flow project.
“Given health, and education, are very much about the long-game, shroud-waving isn’t helpful,” he says.
“Removing one’s political beliefs, and each parties’ ideology, from the equation is critically important to providing New Zealanders with an effective health system.”
Private Hospitals offer to cut surgical waiting lists
20 May 2018
Private hospitals want to work collaboratively with DHBs to help them reduce surgical waiting lists, and the sector has welcomed the $126 million allocated for this in Budget 2018.
New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association president, Richard Whitney, said DHBs all over the country face a growing, unmet demand for elective surgery, and waiting lists and waiting times are increasing.
“The private hospitals sector has significant capacity and expertise that can assist DHBs reduce waiting lists and help Kiwis get the surgical treatment they need, faster and cost-effectively.”
Private hospitals can reduce burden on struggling DHBs
2 March 2018
Hospital staff are said to be stressed, exhausted and overworked by the constant pressures in the public system.
The NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association (NZPSHA) says it has spare capacity that will take the load off struggling DHBs.
“The private sector is well placed to manage elective capacity challenges to help public sector hospitals manage increasing acute demand,” said the vice president of the Association, Dr Lloyd McCann.
“We’d like to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure New Zealanders have access to the care they need, when they need it.”
Private surgical hospitals propose plan to cut surgery waiting lists
Private sector hospitals are calling for a formal partnership with government to help meet the unmet demand for elective surgeries.
The President of the NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association (NZPSHA) Richard Whitney said the private hospitals sector has significant capacity, and the experience and expertise, to absorb much of this demand.
"We can partner with government to provide a huge number of elective surgeries.
"Outsourcing this surgical workload would help meet the large unmet demand while relieving the load on DHB's, enhancing efficiencies and reducing government capital expenditure.
"It would also improve the quality of life for thousands of New Zealanders."
2017
A briefing for the incoming Minister
This paper discusses two key issues:
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How the private hospitals sector can cater cost-effectively and efficiently to the unmet demand for elective surgery, while relieving pressure on DHBs.
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The need to make health insurance more affordable for ageing
New Zealanders, thus encouraging them to take financial responsibility for their own healthcare.
2016
NZPSHA signs RACS Respect Agreement
24 November 2016
The New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association (NZPSHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) to build respect and improve patient safety in surgery.
Cardiac Surgery Education Bundle wins Quality Award
9 September 2016
The Cardiothoracic team at St George’s Hospital in Christchurch have led the way for patient focused care with their unique education package for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The package is the winner of the Clinical Category of NZPSHA “Leaders in Quality” 2016 Awards.
18 August 2016
When – and when not – to use a phone camera during a patient’s treatment is at the heart of a new publication by the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) and the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association (NZPSHA).
26 May 2016
Private Hospitals say the increase in elective surgery funding will go some way to relieving the suffering of many New Zealanders who don’t currently meet the criteria for an operation.
280,000 New Zealanders waiting for surgery, wait times up
2015
The Affordable Healthcare Bill – it's time for a conversation
NZPSHA Sustainability Award winners 2015
2014
NZ’s first medical App wins Health Quality Awards
2013
Surgery out of reach for thousands