Chair Bob Simcock says the Waikato District Health Board experienced a year of 'significant achievement” in 2014/15.

On Friday the released its 160-plus page Annual Report which sets out the board's performance for the year in terms of national, regional and local activities and a set performance measures.

The Waikato District Health Board released its 2014/15 Annual Report Recently. Photo: Waikato DHB

In his foreword, chief executive Nigel Murray highlights the greater use of smart technology in healthcare.

'Technology is giving us new ways of bringing healthcare to people, and people to healthcare,” says Nigel. 'This is important for service delivery particularly to those people who live the rural communities of our district.

'With the prevalence of smart devices in everyday life, it only makes sense that we use this technology in a way to deliver healthcare interactions as well.”

Virtual health care and telehealth technology can add direct value to patient experience in terms of less travelling, reducing waiting times and further improvements to patient care.

Board chair Bob Simcock is welcoming the energy and leadership Dr Murray has brought since his appointment in July 2014, plus the energy and focus displayed by the executive group.

'The 2014/15 year was a year of significant achievement for Waikato DHB,” says Bob. 'This achievement depends on the willingly given, highly skilled contributions of thousands of individual people who work for and with this organisation.”

ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

• For the 2014/15 year, the board received $1.232 billion in funding from Government and Crown agencies for health and disability services for the Waikato population.
• About 69 per cent of this was used to directly provide hospital or health services.
• The remaining 31 per cent was used to fund contracted services provided by non-government organisations (NGO), primary health care organisations (PHOs), Maori providers, Pacific providers, aged residential care, other DHBs, and pharmacies and laboratories.
• As at 30 June 2015 Waikato DHB employed 6566 people (5480 full time equivalents). 53 per cent were NZ European, 34 per cent International, 9 per cent Maori, 1 per cent Pacific Islander, and 3 per cent not identified.
• The average age of DHB employees is 45.6 years.
• A total of 716 employees (up from 674 in 2014) received remuneration of more than $100,000 per year. Of those, 85.47 per cent are or were clinical employees.

To read the 2014/15 Annual Report visit the Waikato District Health Board's website at: www.waikatodhb.health.nz/about-us/key-publications/