17327 (2025). Hūhana Lyndon to the Minister of Health

17327 (2025). Hūhana Lyndon to the Minister of Health: How is the Ministry of Health ensuring that patient safety is not compromised due to ongoing staffing shortages and extended wait times at Nelson Hospital?

Hon Simeon Brown: As the Member will be aware, Health New Zealand holds operational responsibility for staffing and wait times at Nelson Hospital. The waitlists in Nelson are unacceptable and reflect a broader trend across the country following the previous government’s decision to scrap health targets, which has led to ballooning wait times across the country. I am advised that there are a number of actions underway to address the waitlists in Nelson, including weekend clinics to help reduce the backlog and reviewing waitlists to identify which patients are suitable for outsourcing to private surgical hospitals for elective treatments.