49432 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

49432 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What criteria are used to decide where rural extended opening hours for urgent care services are “most needed,” and how many locations have already had these hours extended?

Hon Simeon Brown: As the Member will be aware, this question references my Budget 2025 press release, which refers to all locations, not just rural locations. Implementation of the urgent care framework has commenced for new overnight services in Counties Manukau and Dunedin and new daytime services in Lower Hutt. I am advised that decisions on where to extend rural urgent care hours are based on factors such as patient demand, travel time to the nearest emergency department, workforce availability, and existing service coverage. Implementation is underway, with six rural and remote prototype locations - Aotea Great Barrier, Te Kūiti, Coromandel, Twizel, Golden Bay, and Tūrangi - helping to test and refine the model before expansion to up to 70 locations across the country. The Member will be please to know that the Government remains on track to achieve its goal of ensuring 98 percent of New Zealanders can access in-person urgent care within one hour’s drive of their homes within two years.