8831 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

8831 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: Have any changes been made from on-site staffed coverage to an on-call system for surgical and/or anaesthetic teams at any of the public hospitals listed on the Ministry of Health website since 27 November 2023, and if so, what were those changes, listed by hospital, the date on which those changes took effect, and the impact on staffing?

Hon Simeon Brown: Our Government is committed to delivering timely, high-quality healthcare for all New Zealanders. I am advised that there have been no such changes, with the exception of Waikato Hospital. From January to June 2024, the overnight plastic surgery registrar operated on an on-call basis due to a short-term registrar shortage, which has since been fully resolved. I am further advised that on 10 June 2024, the Sterile Services Unit optimised its weekend overnight staffing, transitioning to one on-site and one on-call staff member in alignment with theatre operating hours, with no impact on overall staffing levels.