Leaked data show major hospitals failing emergency department wait-time targets
National daily emergency department (ED) data across several days in August, leaked to the Labour Party, show New Zealand’s 23 hospitals are managing to process, on average, between 69-71% of patients within six hours, well short of the Government’s 95% target it wants to reach by 2030.
It also sits below the Government’s 74% milestone target for 2024/25 and the 77% target for 2025/26.
However, the data paint a more dire picture in some of the country’s largest hospitals, including Auckland and Wellington, where fewer than 40% of patients are seen within six hours on some days.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora and the Acting Health Minister stress the leaked data shouldn’t be considered “fact”, despite the data being regularly presented to the Health Minister and Health NZ leadership.
They argue validated data from quarter three of 2024/25 (January-March) showing 74.2% of patients admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours of entering an ED prove there is improvement, while acknowledging this winter has seen an “unprecedented” volume of patients presenting.
Labour’s health spokeswoman Dr Ayesha Verrall says the data reveal the cost of underinvestment in the health system and condemns the Government’s health targets as a failed “magic wand”.
The leaked information from Health NZ’s internal reporting system details how hospitals are performing daily against the ED wait time target across seven days in August.
Nationally, the daily average ranges between 63.7% and 75.8%. However, the quarterly average sits between 69.1% and 70.4%.
Broken down by hospital, the 56-bed Grey Base Hospital in Greymouth is the best performer, seeing more than 90% of patients within six hours in each of the seven days and at times exceeding the 95% target.
The Whangārei and Timaru hospitals also regularly met or exceeded the 77% milestone for 2025/26, according to the daily data.
The results are poorer in hospitals in bigger centres, such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
At its best, Auckland City Hospital processed 66.3% of patients within six hours but, at its worst, processed just 34.4%.
Middlemore’s best result was 69.3% while its worst was 44.6%. Waitākere ranged between 61.1%-69.6% while North Shore managed between 51.1% and 72.7%.
Wellington Hospital had only one day of the seven where more than half of all patients were seen within six hours, reaching as low as 39% on its worst day.
The Dunedin Hospital ED wait-time results were the poorest in the country in three of the seven days, with a range of 35.9%-48.4%. Christchurch Hospital had better results but still fell below the 2024/25 milestone target with a range of 57%-73.8%.
Overall, the smallest daily proportion of patients seen within the deadline belonged to Waikato Hospital, which achieved 33% on August 14.
Verrall, a doctor and former Health Minister, said she was concerned by how long people were waiting in EDs.
“Large city hospitals see our most complex patients and the highest number of patients; it’s very risky for so many people to wait this long in the emergency department.”
She expected many hospitals to struggle to meet the 2025/26 milestone, indicating ED wait times would be a key issue in next year’s election.
“This Government promised that they would make ED wait times better. It looks like they’ll be going to the election having made no difference.”
In statements from Health NZ and Acting Health Minister Matt Doocey, both described the leaked data as unreliable and pointed to the latest validated data for the January-March quarter, which was 74.2%.
However, Doocey acknowledged New Zealanders were “still waiting far too long” in EDs.
“The Government has made it clear to Health New Zealand that performance must improve and reinstating the shorter stays in ED target is key to that.”
He maintained hospitals across the country were improving, noting a “predictable rise” in ED presentations during winter months.
Health NZ executive regional director Chris Lowry indicated this winter had been busier than expected.
“While we plan for and anticipate these surges, this winter’s volume of presentations has been unprecedented.
“Staff sickness and higher-acuity patients, many of whom require isolation, have further intensified pressures on our system.”
Lowry said Health NZ remained committed to achieving the wait time target, highlighting the agency’s focus on improving in-community care to prevent unnecessary ED visits.
=====================================================
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
More than 120,000 disabled and older New Zealanders registered in the Total Mobility scheme will pay more for discounted taxi trips from next year as the Government announces a cut to trip subsidies.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said subsidies would drop from 75% to 65% from July 1, 2026, blaming unsustainable rising costs.
Regional fare caps will also be lowered by around 10%.
Wide-ranging Ministry of Transport proposals for the scheme were released for consultation today. Suggested options included "strengthened" eligibility; periodic reassessments; caps on monthly trips; and the potential inclusion of ridesharing services.
"The Government is announcing decisions to stabilise the Total Mobility scheme so that the disability community is supported in a financially sustainable way, by all funding partners," Bishop said of the confirmed subsidy changes.
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the new subsidy level would still be higher than what it was four years ago, when it was raised under the previous government.
"We appreciate these decisions will mean fares will increase for Total Mobility users.
"But they will still receive a higher subsidy level than prior to 2022. The changes also provide certainty that those who need the service will have continued access to it."
Demand for the scheme has soared since the subsidy rose from 50% in 2022. Registered users have jumped from 108,000 to 120,000, while trips have risen from 1.8 million in 2018 to three million.
Bishop said the 2022 increase had not accounted for higher demand over time.
"Increased demand now means the scheme is close to exceeding its Crown funding and is placing significant pressure on the contributions from local councils and NZTA," he said.
Costs are forecast to exceed funding by $236 million between 2025 and 2030 under current settings, according to the Government.
The Total Mobility scheme provided subsidised taxi fares for people who could not use public transport independently due to disability or age. The scheme was funded jointly by central government, NZTA's National Land Transport Fund and local councils.
The Government would also provide $10 million to NZTA to ease funding pressures on public transport authorities until the changes took effect.
Reacting to the subsidy changes, Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Mojo Mathers told 1News that Total Mobility was an "essential service for us".
"This cut to Total Mobility on top of a cost-of-living crisis will only aggravate hardship in an already struggling population," she said in a statement.
"Total Mobility is an essential service for us. Not everyone can get on a bus or drive a car.
"Disabled people will face impossible choices when it comes to travel, when we know that over half don’t have enough to meet their everyday needs."
Labour has criticised the subsidy changes, saying the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders".
Today's announcement came after a delayed year-long Transport Ministry review of the Total Mobility scheme, which included an earlier round of public consultation.
Further changes on the way, proposals in consultation
============================================
Alongside the subsidy cut, the Ministry of Transport has opened consultation on proposals including trip caps, stricter eligibility assessments, and expanding service providers beyond taxis to include ride-hail apps and on-demand public transport.
"Beyond ensuring the scheme’s financial viability, the Government is also taking the opportunity to consider changes to strengthen a system so that it works better for disabled people,” Upston said.
"The Ministry of Transport will be releasing a discussion document to consult on proposals to strengthen Total Mobility to ensure fairer, consistent and more sustainable access to services for people with the greatest need."
The wide-ranging proposals were not yet Government policy and were open for feedback until March 22, 2026. The 10% subsidy cut was not part of the consultation.
The proposals include trip caps, with two options. The first would give all users a flat monthly cap of 30 to 40 trips at 65% subsidy, with either no further subsidised trips or a reduced 50% subsidy once reached. The second would allocate 10 base trips, plus extras based on need – for example, for employment, health, or education.
The ministry proposed tighter eligibility requirements, including medical evidence from health practitioners, occupational therapists or psychologists when applying.
Currently, assessment standards varied, with no documentary evidence required.
Periodic reassessments would also be introduced under another proposal, requiring users to be re-evaluated after a set period to ensure they remained eligible.
The proposals also aimed to expand service providers beyond traditional taxis to include ride-hail apps, on-demand public transport services, and volunteer community transport providers. The ministry said this could increase availability and give users more options.
It was unclear whether ride-hailing apps would include popular ride-sharing apps such as Uber.
To improve wheelchair accessibility, the ministry also proposed more incentives for service providers, including higher funding for installing ramps and hoists in vehicles, and raising the $10 per wheelchair trip payment that has remained unchanged since 2005.
The ministry was also exploring a national public transport concession for people with disabilities – separate from Total Mobility and implemented through the National Ticketing Solution from 2027.
Labour critical of subsidy changes
============================
Labour disability issues spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders by slashing discounted transport fares during a cost-of-living crisis".
"Under Christopher Luxon, disabled Kiwis will now pay more just to get to work, attend health appointments, or see loved ones,” she said in a statement.
"Disability communities feel betrayed. First came the overnight cut to flexible funding; then restrictions on residential care with no warning.
"Then Whaikaha was gutted and disability support shifted to the Social Development Ministry. Now, the transport subsidy many rely on to live independently has been cut.
"For many disabled Kiwis, affordable transport isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a lifeline. It means independence, dignity, and the ability to participate in everyday life and that’s why Labour increased the subsidy in government. This latest change is taking us backwards."
=========================================================
Loading…
