49015 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

49015 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made toward ensuring 98 per cent of New Zealanders can access urgent care within one hour’s drive of their home, as committed to in May 2025?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that Health New Zealand is on track to achieve the goal of having 98 per cent of New Zealanders able to receive in-person urgent care within one hour’s drive of their homes inside the two-year horizon for this programme, as part of our focus on putting patients first and ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare. I am further advised that Health New Zealand has progressed the first group of new and improved services which will be in place by the end of 2025.