39608 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

39608 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What bespoke activities, if any, are planned to reduce wait times for gynaecology first specialist assesments, by region?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that Health New Zealand has made good progress in reducing first specialist assessment (FSA) waiting lists following a more than 15,000% increase in the number of patients waiting over four months for a Gynaecology FSA between Q2 2017/18 and Q2 2023/24. I am further advised that Health New Zealand is focusing on optimising their internal clinic capacity, ensuring clinics are fully booked, providing additional FSAs through weekend or extended weekday clinic hours, and improving booking performance with a focus on the longest waiters as part of our focus on putting patients and ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare.