26704 (2026). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

26704 (2026). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: By how much has national imaging capacity increased to date as a result of the October 2025 diagnostics investment, against the 6 per cent stated in the announcement?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that national imaging capacity has increased through the installation of three additional scanners and the replacement of six existing scanners with more modern equipment. I am further advised that as at May 2026, the most significant increases in activity have occurred at Hawke's Bay and Kenepuru Hospitals, where new scanners have been installed. Between October 2025 and May 2026, these new scanners have delivered an additional 4,303 CT scans and 2,095 MRI scans, broken down as follows: • Kenepuru Hospital: 1,929 additional CT scans • Hawke’s Bay Hospital: 2,374 additional CT scans and 2,095 additional MRI scans. This equates to an annualised increase of approximately 6,000 CT scans and 3,000 MRI scans from these sites. As most replacement scanners have only been operational since March 2026, it is too soon to determine their full impact on imaging capacity and activity.