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Health targets show shorter wait times and quicker access for patients, but the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) warns workforce shortages remain a critical challenge for hospitals and community care.
Patients in Northland and Auckland are seeing faster access to care, according to Health Minister Simeon Brown.
“Healthcare performance in the Northern region is improving steadily. We are putting patients first and ensuring Aucklanders and Northlanders can access timely, quality healthcare when they need it,” Brown said in a statement.
While patient care targets are improving, the ASMS says workforce capacity is a growing concern.
“The target ASMS is most concerned about is the one that’s missing — and that’s for the health workforce. We know we don’t have enough clinicians working in hospitals or in community-based care such as general practice and dental care,” ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton told the Franklin Times.
“We would like this Government to develop some serious, concrete and measurable workforce targets.”
Brown says key improvements from April to June include faster cancer treatment, with 85.1 percent of patients starting treatment within 31 days—up 4.6 percentage points in Northland and 3.2 in Waitematā.
Childhood immunisations rose to 82.2 percent fully immunised by age two, while 72.5 percent of patients spent six hours or less in emergency departments.
Elective procedures and first specialist assessments also improved, with more patients seen within four months than in the previous quarter. Thousands more received essential care, including hip and knee replacements, cardiology, and cataract surgeries.
“These improvements mean more patients getting back to work, returning to everyday activities, and regaining their quality of life. Too many people are still waiting too long for care, and we will keep working to reduce wait times,” Brown says.
He says the record $30 billion annual health investment is helping rebuild the system around patients, hold it accountable, and drive better outcomes.
