42314 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

42314 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: Are measurements from Q4 2024/2025 for the shorter wait times for elective treatment target representative of the whole year and if so, what evidence is there for this?

Hon Simeon Brown: As I said in Written Parliamentary Question 41116 (2025), health target performance data for the final quarter of 2024/25 has not yet been validated or published. However, my expectation is that Health New Zealand works toward achieving each target's milestone on a quarterly basis as part of our Government's focus on putting patients first and ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare.