The health system in New Zealand is facing tremendous pressure. Doctors are sounding alarms about staff shortages and burnout, while patients are sharing their experiences of long wait times and delayed diagnoses. In response to these challenges, telehealth services are increasingly stepping in to bridge the gap.
The coalition government has set ambitious targets to reduce wait times in emergency departments and for elective treatments. The health minister has openly acknowledged that the sector is in a “crisis.” In a significant move, the government dismissed the board of Te Whatu Ora and appointed Lester Levy as the new commissioner to address oversight and overspending issues.
Levy has characterized Health NZ as “totally bloated” with bureaucracy and has announced plans to cut back-office staff. It is crucial to tell the story of New Zealand’s health system from the perspectives of hospitals, waiting rooms, and living rooms across Aotearoa.
Recent reports have highlighted several critical issues within the health system:
• Wait times in public hospitals for cancer treatment, specialist appointments, and surgeries have worsened in the first quarter of the year.
• A Lower Hutt GP practice made headlines when patients had to wait months for appointments. Despite hiring a second doctor, the clinic still relies heavily on virtual appointments.
• An increasing number of cancer patients are waiting too long for potentially life-saving radiation treatment. Health New Zealand’s latest quarterly report revealed that over 18 percent of patients waited more than a month to start treatment.
• Reducing wait times has become Levy’s top priority.
The country is grappling with a significant shortage of healthcare workers. Midwifery faces the greatest shortfall, with an additional 300 graduates needed annually. A new midwifery school at the University of Waikato, set to open next year, aims to help address this shortage.
Emergency departments nationwide are also experiencing critical workforce shortages. Minister Shane Reti acknowledged this issue in July but refrained from committing to increasing budgets, attributing the problem to “overspending, not underfunding.”
Some hospitals have resorted to using telehealth services overnight due to the lack of onsite doctors. After-hours medical services are nearing collapse, with overworked GPs unable to provide coverage. Westport’s hospital even had to close on a Wednesday due to staff illness.
The latest Budget allocated new funds for training more doctors, increasing access to breast screening, and providing security guards in emergency departments. However, the coalition government cut free prescriptions, except for those under 14, pensioners, and Community Service Card holders, saving nearly $71 million.
Pharmac’s budget is set to exceed $6 billion over the next four years to address a shortfall of more than $1.7 billion left by the previous government. However, the drug-purchasing agency has admitted that any new medicines would require additional funding.
In May, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists found that funding was not keeping pace with inflation or demand. In response to “serious concerns around oversight, overspending, and a significant deterioration in financial outlook,” the government replaced Health NZ’s board chair with Lester Levy as a commissioner.
Throughout 2024, junior doctors and blood service laboratory workers have participated in multiple strikes. Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation have held public rallies, and home support nurses have walked off the job, seeking pay parity with their Te Whatu Ora colleagues.
The plight of New Zealand’s health system is starkly evident through the stories emerging from hospitals, waiting rooms, and the daily lives of citizens. The government’s efforts to address the crisis, from leadership changes to budget allocations, reflect the urgency and complexity of the situation. As telehealth services continue to play an increasingly vital role, the need for comprehensive and sustainable solutions becomes ever more apparent. -TIN Bureau