8819 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

8819 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: When, if at all, does he expect to see a measurable reduction in emergency department pressure as a result of greater access to primary care under his plan?

Hon Simeon Brown: Our Government is focused on delivering timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders. As the Member will know, there has been a significant decline in emergency department performance in recent years. In 2017/18, 89.2 percent of patients were admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours, but by 2023/24, that figure dropped to 67.5 percent. Our Government has reinstated the health target for shorter emergency department stays, aiming for 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours by 2030. We have also set interim milestones for Health New Zealand to work towards. My expectation is that our Government's investment to strengthen primary care will progressively lead to reduced wait times in emergency departments. I refer the Member to my recent announcements: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/healthcare-boost-means-seeing-gp-faster ; https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more-locally-trained-doctors-primary-care ; https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/greater-role-nurses-primary-care