Elective Surgery
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Elective services at the Bay of Plenty District Board Health
follow Ministry of Health guidelines.
The Ministry of Health defines elective services as hospital
services for people who do not need immediate medical treatment. If
you are very ill and require emergency treatment you will be
treated with minimal delay.
At present the maximum waiting time for elective services is
four months. We will contact you to call us to arrange an
appointment time that is mutually agreeable. This appointment will
be for you to see a Specialist at either Tauranga or Whakatāne
Hospital.
Click here for a printable version of this
information
This section contains information about how the Bay of Plenty
District Health Board is managing Elective Services including
access to services, numbers waiting and other Elective Services
information.
What can I expect?
- Clarity
You will receive information about assessment and
treatment options and whether or not they will be available to
you.
- Timelines
You will know within 10 working days whether you will
receive access to assessment or treatment. If assessment or
treatment is offered to you, you will receive it within the next
four months.
- Fairness
Your level of need will be assessed in comparison with
other people with similar conditions.
How do I get an assessment?
If you have a condition that you think may require assessment or
treatment you should first contact your primary care
practitioner. Your primary care practitioner might include
your general practitioner (GP), nurse practitioner, Māori health
provider or physiotherapist. They will assess your condition and
discuss the best option with you, including whether to refer you to
a hospital specialist.
If you are referred and accepted by a specialist you will be
given an appointment within four months of acceptance. Your
primary care practitioner will care for you whilst you are waiting
for your specialist appointment. If during this time, your
condition worsens you should make contact with your primary care
practitioner.
What does the specialist do?
The hospital specialist will make an assessment of your
condition and determine the best option of care for you.
If, based on your level of need, publicly funded elective
services are not available to you at
this time; your primary care practitioner will care for you.
The specialist will provide you and your primary care practitioner
with information on the outcome of your assessment.
If public treatment is available you
will be told that you:
- Have a confirmed treatment date within the next four months,
or
- Will receive treatment within four months and you will be given
the treatment date closer to the time of treatment.
How long will I have to wait for treatment?
Some patients need treatment more urgently than others.
For example, people suffering from severe pain would generally be
treated more quickly than a person with occasional discomfort.
If you are offered publicly funded hospital treatment, you will
receive it within four months of being deemed fit for
treatment following a preassessment (health check) appointment. The
preassessment appointment could be by phone or in clinic.
We will contact you as soon as an appointment for treatment is
available for you. This appointment will be for you to see a
Specialist at either Tauranga or Whakatāne Hospital.
Why is treatment not always available?
Spending on elective services in public hospitals has to be
balanced with other health priorities such as maternity services,
subsidised drugs and accident and emergency care.
Public hospitals have a set amount of funding for elective
treatments. Community demand for public hospital services is
often greater than the ability of the hospital to meet that
demand. Public hospitals need to treat those with the
greatest need first, so that fair and consistent decisions are made
within the health resources available.
Click here to view our elective services referral
criteria details.
Will my GP know the results of my visit to the specialist?
Yes. Your primary care practitioner will be told your results
and whether you have been booked for treatment.
What other options are available to me?
There may be a range of services available to you, depending on
your particular circumstances. This may include returning to
your primary care practitioner for advice on suitable
alternatives.
What if I (or my primary care practitioner) do not agree with
what has been decided?
Talk to your primary care practitioner. You may ask for an
explanation or a second opinion.
What do I do if my condition worsens?
If at any time your condition worsens, you should see your
primary care practitioner. They will seek a specialist
reassessment if they think your condition has changed. This
reassessment may include a review of your priority for
treatment.
What are my rights?
Under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumer's
Rights, you have the right to be treated fairly, consistently, and
to an appropriate standard. If you feel you have been treated
unfairly, or wish to make a complaint, you have rights under
the Health and Disability Commissioner Act
1994.
Click on the links below for more
information:
Last updated:
July 16, 2020
