21 June 2022
OIA Reference: OIA2022061501
Emma Vitz
Email: [FYI request #19607 email]
Tēnā koe Emma
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) – Joint 2DHB Response – OIA2022061501
Thank you for your official information request regarding outsourced procedures and elective surgery,
which was received by Hutt Valley (Hutt Valley DHB) and Capital & Coast (CCDHB) District Health Boards
on 15 June 2022. You requested the following information:
1. The total number of procedures outsourced by year (including the year to date) for the past five
years.
2. For each year, provide a breakdown of the type of procedure. 3. For each year, provide the total spend on outsourced elective surgeries. 4. For each year, provide the amount that these surgeries would have cost the DHBs if they had not
been outsourced.
Due to our two DHBs sharing information, staff, many services, and a single Chief Executive, you are
receiving a joint Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHB (2DHB) response. Please be assured that separate
data sets will apply to each DHB in this joint response.
In line with standard OIA practice, we have chosen to withhold some data as it related to a sample size
of less than 6 and it is necessary to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned – see section 9(2)(a)
of the Official Information Act. We do not believe there to be countervailing public interest
considerations under section 9(1) for disclosure to outweigh the privacy interests of these people. To
best provide you with the information you have requested, subset numbers unrelated to a withheld
value have been disclosed, as opposed to just providing you with total or subtotal figures alone.
Our joint 2DHB response to your request is outlined below.
CCDHB Response
1. The total number of procedures outsourced by year (including the year to date) for the past
five years.
2. For each year, provide a breakdown of the type of procedure.
Hutt Valley DHB | Private Bag 31907, Lower Hutt 5010 | 04 566 6999
l www.huttvalleydhb.org.nz
Capital & Coast DHB | Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington 6342 | 04 385 5999 l
www.ccdhb.org.nz
The number of publicly funded elective discharges outsourced to private provider(s) is summarised in
the table below by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the four
month period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Table One: CCDHB Elective discharges outsourced to private providers: 2017 - 2022
Specialty
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Cardiology
48
12
General Surgery
52
65
67
106
131
13
Cardiothoracic Surgery
113
81
89
90
76
32
Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
92
63
43
<6
<6
Gynaecology
81
185
171
135
215
26
Neurosurgery
<6
<6
11
<6
Ophthalmology
495
601
465
372
440
81
Orthopaedic Surgery
320
406
472
309
401
38
Specialist Paediatric Surgery [Others]
8
14
Urology
116
125
166
209
158
23
Vascular Surgery
34
48
38
145
58
3. For each year, provide the total spend on outsourced elective surgeries.
The table below summarises the cost of those publicly funded elective discharges outsourced to private
provider(s) by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the four month
period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Table Two: CCDHB Total spend on outsourced elective surgeries: 2017 - 2022
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total
$11,458,117 $11,403,558 $12,778,614 $12,946,326 $15,547,938 $4,221,286
4. For each year, provide the amount that these surgeries would have cost the DHBs if they had
not been outsourced
Hutt Valley DHB | Private Bag 31907, Lower Hutt 5010 |
04 566 6999 l www.huttvalleydhb.org.nz
Capital & Coast DHB | Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington 6342 | 04 385 5999 l
www.ccdhb.org.nz
The table below summarises the national price of those publicly funded elective discharges outsourced
to private provider(s) by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the four
month period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Table Three: CCDHB Price of elective discharges outsourced to private providers: 2017 - 2022
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total
$11,945,080 $12,288,797 $13,793,549 $13,542,732 $15,503,779 $3,295,130
HVDHB Response
1. The total number of procedures outsourced by year (including the year to date) for the past
five years.
2. For each year, provide a breakdown of the type of procedure.
The number of publicly funded elective discharges outsourced to private provider(s) is summarised in
the table below by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the four
month period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Table Four: HVDHB Elective discharges outsourced to private providers: 2017 - 2022
Specialty
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
General Surgery
27
57
38
<6
Maxillo Facial
8
<6
ENT
7
Gynaecology
48
19
Ophthalmology (Eye)
47
128
190
82
38
Orthopaedic
39
<6
9
156
20
Plastic Surgery
55
31
31
105
21
12
3. For each year, provide the total spend on outsourced elective surgeries.
The table below summarises the cost of those publicly funded elective discharges outsourced to private
provider(s) by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the four month
period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Hutt Valley DHB | Private Bag 31907, Lower Hutt 5010 |
04 566 6999 l www.huttvalleydhb.org.nz
Capital & Coast DHB | Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington 6342 | 04 385 5999 l
www.ccdhb.org.nz
Table Five: HVDHB Total spend on outsourced elective surgeries: 2017 – 2022
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total
$1,325,202
$1,086,004
$695,437
$1,313,460
$1,690,574
$394,041
4. For each year, provide the amount that these surgeries would have cost the DHBs if they had
not been outsourced
The table below summarises the national price of those publicly funded elective discharges outsourced
to private provider(s) by calendar year and specialty. Please note calendar year 2022 represents the
four month period (January 2022 to April 2022).
Table Six: CCDHB Price of elective discharges outsourced to private providers: 2017 - 2022
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total
$1,497,447
$636,133
$686,551
$1,115,168
$1,952,702
$396,305
I trust this information fulfils your request. You have the right, under section 28 of the OIA, to seek an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or you can free phone 0800 802 602.
Nāku ite noa, nā
Fionnagh Dougan
Āpiha Whakahaere Mātāmua | Chief Executive
Ūpoko ki te uru Hauora | Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards
Hutt Valley DHB | Private Bag 31907, Lower Hutt 5010 |
04 566 6999 l www.huttvalleydhb.org.nz
Capital & Coast DHB | Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington 6342 | 04 385 5999 l
www.ccdhb.org.nz