Podcasts about health nz

Pushback from Health New Zealand, who are assuring that patient needs are being met despite fresh staffing concerns. The agency's released data for almost 740-thousand shifts last year, showing around a quarter of shifts across 615 wards were below the target staffing level at some point. Nurses Organisation CEO Paul Gaulter says Health New Zealand should resource and staff to need. But the agency's Chief Nurse Nadine Gray told Mike Hosking patient safety is their top priority. She says they expect high-quality care to be offered to every patient who walks through their doors. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Severe respiratory illness rates are now the highest they've been in the last decade, mostly because of the flu. It comes as ambulance services struggle to meet demand, and Health NZ urges people to save emergency departments for emergencies. RNZ reported this week that hospitals have even created dedicated flu wards and some elective surgery is being cancelled as influenza A hits the health system. So, why has this flu season been so late, so sharp, and so severe – and what does it mean for our hospitals, our most vulnerable, and the rest of winter? Today on The Front Page, University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker is with us to break down what’s driving this surge and what all of us can do to stay well and keep pressure off the health system. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Palmerston North Emergency Department doctor has put out a plea for help to Health New Zealand after an extraordinarily busy day. Patients contacted Checkpoint to say they had been waiting 17 hours, but when Checkpoint spoke to Doctor Dusty Bratton he said others had been waiting even longer than that. Bratton spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

An emergency department doctor working in Palmerston North said he believes some decisions are being made to prioritise Government discharge targets over ideal healthcare. Government targets set a goal for hospitals to admit and discharge 95 percent of patients within six hours. The trend has been slowly increasing toward that, with 74.2 percent in December. Health NZ Group Director of Operations at Counties Manukau Dr Vanessa Thornton spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Last year, for the first time in New Zealand, MedSafe gave approval to prescribe psilocybin - the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms. The approval was specific to one psychiatrist and gave them the authority to prescribe and administer psilocybin to any patient they have assessed and diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. According to Health NZ there is work underway to make it easier for more healthcare practitioners to take on this work. This weekend the 'Auckland Mushroom Festival' is taking place along Karangahape Road, and our next guest will be speaking at the event. University of Auckland doctoral student Sam Lasham researches prohibited drug use and policy, harm reduction, and psychedelics. He chats to Jesse.

Last year, for the first time in New Zealand, MedSafe gave approval to prescribe psilocybin - the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms. The approval was specific to one psychiatrist and gave them the authority to prescribe and administer psilocybin to any patient they have assessed and diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. According to Health NZ there is work underway to make it easier for more healthcare practitioners to take on this work. This weekend the 'Auckland Mushroom Festival' is taking place along Karangahape Road, and our next guest will be speaking at the event. University of Auckland doctoral student Sam Lasham researches prohibited drug use and policy, harm reduction, and psychedelics. He chats to Jesse.

Today, the 111 call out and the fact that St John is absolutely under the pump and has been for quite some time and they're not expecting it to finish anytime soon. On Saturday, 2,562 calls came into the ambulance through 111 the highest number received ever in a single day. But then that was the third time the daily record had been broken in a week. Just last week, the record number of 111 calls was set, then surpassed, then surpassed, then surpassed again and they're not expecting that to go anytime soon. A mate of mine pretty much saved the life of our mutual friend. She was at her flat, suddenly stricken, like off the couch in agony. Her flatmate called 111, time was ticking by, nothing was happening. So he rang my friend Les in absolute despair and said what the hell do I do, she's in agony. Les whizzed round there and then rang the ambulance service and asked where the ambulance was. And she said I can't tell you that and he said yes you can because you've got GPS, where is the ambulance? She said I can't tell you that. And he pushed her and pushed her until finally she admitted there was no ambulance on the way, they didn't have one. But she didn't want to tell him that, I don't know why. As soon as he heard that he just hung up, he and the flatmate scooped up Soph, whizzed her to the hospital and she'd had a brain aneurysm. It was touch and go but she has made a full recovery and is back to the beautiful vibrant soul she is, but it really was touch and go. If Les hadn't pushed, they'd have sat there waiting for an ambulance and Soph would have died. There'll be a hell of a lot more stories like that out there after the past two weekends. As I said, it was a record number on Saturday, 2,562 calls, a normal day would see around 1,900 calls. According to Doug Gallagher, who's the St John Director of Ambulance Operations, not all cases need an ambulance. And he's right. After I smashed my arm into a million pieces, the next day, it was an uncomfortable night I grant you, but the next day I was still able to take a taxi from Leigh to a 24 hour medical centre on the North Shore. It wasn't a fun hour and if I'd been in an ambo perhaps I would have had some pain relief which would have been greatly appreciated, but I got it once I got to the 24 hour clinic and once there it was a completely straightforward process of them going ooh, no, I think that needs to be x rayed, oh, I think we'll go to hospital for that one, and off we went. So probably people don't need an ambulance. When something drastic happens, your first thought probably is oh I better ring an ambulance. And I suppose when I hurt my arm, I didn't even think of an ambulance because we were so far away, we were out in the seaside, at a seaside resort. And I didn't think there'd be any point in ringing an ambulance, I'd wait till the morning and get a taxi and go in from there. Possibly you could travel under your own steam. And I just wonder why people instantly think 111. As Mike said this morning when he was talking to Doug Gallagher, there are a lot of time wasters, but Doug Gallagher said well I wouldn't call them that. Wasting the time's not the term to use. I think people struggle sometimes with not being able to access the right part of the health system. But there are options there, Healthline, online GP portal, people can find those through the Health New Zealand website. I think that's the issue that people struggle to navigate the health system at times. Is that what it is? Why would the first, I mean if you don't have a vehicle and you don't have any money, and there's a few people like that, then an ambulance may well be your only option if you think it's serious. But in the first instance, what do you do? I've called the Healthline before and it's been very helpful. I did think I'd probably need to get my arm set, but I didn't need an ambulance for that. I couldn't drive, but I could take a taxi and I did have the money to take a taxi. Not everybody does. Do you think it's drummed into us to call 111 in an emergency or why is it that so many people see the ambulance as the first response? And you are asked to pay if you can when you take an ambulance, so you might as well hop in a cab or an Uber if you think there's something really wrong and needs checking out. That's a lot of calls in a day. I would love to know how many of them were absolutely essential where people may well have died if they didn't get that ambulance ride to the hospital. I'd just be interested to know what the advice is. Like Doug is saying navigate the health system, well so okay you ring Healthline and they answer pretty quickly. They might be able to give you advice. Is it just panic when something happens? Like oh my god, what do I do? They're in terrible pain, I don't know how to deal with it, I'm going to ring the ambulance rather than I'm going to ring Healthline and see if this is something I can manage myself. I'd really love to hear your experiences. I mean in my mate's case, Les's case, if he hadn't got Soph to the hospital she wouldn't be here and that's that. How many cases are like that with an ambulance or are people using it because they have no other options? And what is the medical advice? I mean if in doubt ring an ambulance, is that really the advice that St John would give? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Pulse: Hot Topics, Louise and George explore one question that underpins the future of digital health: how do we build trust?They begin with Australia's latest healthcare cyberattack and New Zealand's response to one of theirs, asking if cybersecurity should be considered a patient safety issue rather than simply an IT problem. The discussion then turns to the World Health Organization's first AI Readiness Assessment for Europe and what it reveals about the gap between rapid AI adoption and the governance needed to support it safely.The conversation moves to healthcare investment, examining Rock Health's latest funding report, new evidence on the economics of AI, and whether venture capital is backing the innovations that will deliver the greatest value for patients. Louise and George also discuss how patients are already using AI, drawing on new research from Microsoft and the Commonwealth Fund that reveals where people trust AI, and where they still want human care.Finally, they explore one of the first major lawsuits involving ChatGPT and alleged medical harm, asking how accountability will evolve as consumers increasingly rely on generative AI for health advice.Recommendations:Clinicians – be part of the research into clinician use of AI, open globally LinkAthens Digital Health Week, 23–25 February 2027, Royal Olympic Hotel, Athens LinkResources:Action Plan aims to strengthen Health NZ digital security, Pulse+IT (Reesh Lyon) — LinkHealth NZ Action Plan - LinkPartnered Health cyber incident statement — LinkWHO Europe statement: Govern AI in health before the gaps become irreversible — LinkWHO report: AI is reshaping health systems — state of readiness across the European Union — LinkRock Health H1 2026 Funding and Market Overview — LinkA systematic review of economic evidence of artificial intelligence in healthcare, Health Policy (Schmidt, Carter, McGuire, Mossialos, van Kessel) — Link2025 Global Women's Health Investment Hit A Record, But U.S. Investors Curb Their Enthusiasm, Forbes (Geri Stengel) — LinkGlobal analysis of country-level factors associated with chatbot usage for health, Nature Health — LinkPatients' Perspectives on AI in Primary Care, Commonwealth Fund — LinkChatGPT Led to a Man's Near-Fatal Health Crisis, Lawsuit Claims, The New York Times — LinkWith Thanks to Datacom:Download the Executive Briefing Playbook LinkVisit Pulse+IT.news to subscribe to breaking digital news, weekly newsletters 

Questions to Ministers KATIE NIMON to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on Government support for working families? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? NANCY LU to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on transport? JENNY MARCROFT to the Minister for Resources: What reports, if any, has he seen about the minerals sector? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: What was the total number of full-time equivalent vacant nursing positions in Health NZ in each quarter from July 2024 to December 2025, and has the number of vacancies increased, decreased, or stayed the same over that period? TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Justice: What measures has the Government taken to reduce the number of victims of crime? Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister for Disability Issues: Does she stand by her statement that "Our Government is focused on improving the lives of the nearly one in six disabled New Zealanders"; if so, does she agree with disability organisations saying that disabled people are falling further behind under this Government? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Why did the Government decide to abolish the Grocery Commissioner before publicly releasing its analysis on grocery competition? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? SAM UFFINDELL to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcement has he made about introducing psychology assistants to deliver more mental health and addiction workers?

RNZ can reveal staff have made hundreds of reports of fleas and other insects at Auckland Hospital.One patient slipped and fell trying to stomp on a cluster of cockroaches in the shower. Health NZ's Director of Operations for Auckland, Dr Mike Shepherd spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Two part failures are to blame for a wide spread IT outage at multiple Waikato Hospitals. It left several hospitals offline for almost 12 hours, meaning they couldn't access the data centre, patient information and test results. Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ chief information technology officer Darren Douglass spoke to Lisa Owen.

Staff at Waikato Hospital reverted to pen and paper yesterday, because of a major IT outage. Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ chief information technology officer Darren Douglas spoke to John Campbell.

Health New Zealand is celebrating meeting its nursing target, with 1800 roles being offered to graduates over the next year. The organisation says there's a wide range of opportunities across the country – including at hospitals and with primary, aged, and community providers. It says this is essential to building a sustainable long-term workforce across the health sector. Chief Nurse Nadine Gray told Mike Hosking most studying nurses can be confident there will be a job available once they graduate. She says this has been the case for most students coming out of university and polytech in the past year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country's most influential GPs is flagging an issue with the health system's focus. Dr Bryan Betty signing off as General Practice NZ Chair this week after more than three years in the role to join the Health NZ Board. He believes New Zealand has reached a pivotal moment in how it plans and delivers healthcare. Betty told Kerre Woodham that conversations around healthcare often centre around emergency departments and hospitals, while the primary care system and general practices receive little focus. He says early intervention, and access to it, is absolutely critical going forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chair of General Practioners NZ and newly appointed Health NZ Board member Dr Bryan Betty joins Nick Mills on the show this morning to discuss GPs responsibility when restricting licenses. He says there are many rules in place to protect the public from drivers whose driving quality may be deteriorating and the GPs take their responsibility very seriously, noting the burden it brings onto the patient. Dr Betty also shared his concerns around changes to privacy rules as a GP when you have to disclose this party concerns to the patient. He says he doesn't think the element of trust in confidentiality has been thought through in the act. Plus hear what Dr Betty wants to accomplish moving onto the board of Health NZ. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The amount of money spent on temporary doctors to plug gaps in the health system has hit a new high, topping $200 million for the third year in a row. Health NZ says it is working hard to recruit specialists and has even cut the budget for locums. But others in the health sector say more drastic action is needed to bring the spend under control and incentivise doctors to stay on our shores. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

Wellington's main stop smoking service is quitting because it says it won't promote vaping as an alternative to keep its government funding. Takiri Mai Te Ata Trust says after more than 30 years helping people become smoke free, it's impossible to keep delivering services in a way that aligns with its tikanga, values and responsibilities to its community. Health NZ and the trust have now parted ways. Regional manager for the trust's stop smoking service, Catherine Manning spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Health New Zealand has confirmed Waikato Hospital's Emergency Department was under some strain when a patient died. A man who couldn't be revived after being found unresponsive last week had been waiting for hours. A review's found he had an acute unexpected incident that wouldn't have been prevented by more monitoring. Health NZ Clinical Executive National Director Doctor Richard Sullivan says it was a busy day, with two wards closed to new patients because of a bug. "The third issue on that particular shift was that they were four doctors down from the 12 they had planned to have on that day, and that was because of sickness." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An alcohol industry group says it has a "fundamental right to be consulted" over a review of official health advice on so called "low risk drinking". The Health NZ guidelines are being reviewed as part of a three year cancer action plan, released last week. Executive director of the Alcohol Beverages Council, Virginia Nicholls spoke to Lisa Owen.

How much alcohol is too much, when it comes to health risks like cancer and is Aotearoa's official guide to low risk drinking dangerously out of date? The Health NZ guidelines are being reviewed as part of a three-year cancer action plan, released last week. The cancer society said alcohol is a risk factor in a least seven cancers and is the cause of about five percent of all cancers. Alcohol researcher and Massey University Associate Professor Andy Towers spoke to Lisa Owen.

Health NZ chief executive Dr Dale Bramley spoke to John Campbell.

Weekly interview with Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon; Waitaki District declares state of emergency; Health NZ boss discusses strain on system at winter; Genesis chief discusses growing energy cost concerns; Young Farmer of the Year winner, Tom Slee

Health NZ regional director discusses death of man in ED; Chloe Swarbrick questions government's actions on homelessness; Porirua College discusses school lunch programme report; Weekly Political Panel: Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni; Henry Onesemo on Michelin success for TALA

Health New Zealand is investigating the death of a man at Waikato Hospital who had been waiting hours to be seen. The man arrived at the emergency department on Monday night, and was later found unconscious, and was unable to be revived. Cath Cronin, Health NZ executive regional director for Midland spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A rapid clinical review has been launched to understand how a Waikato Hospital patient died, after ending up unresponsive in an Emergency Department toilet. They were found early this morning - reportedly after waiting nine hours to be seen. The Nurses' Organisation says the ED is dangerously understaffed, and struggling to keep up with patients walking in the door. Health NZ Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan says he doesn't know how long the patient was waiting - but it certainly was longer than it should have been. "This shouldn't've happened - but we don't know the cause, we don't know the details yet, and that is going to be part of our review." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Multiple hospitals are dealing with failing infrastructure. Episodes of heavy rain are causing leaks and water damage at Middlemore Hospital's aging maternity block. And conditions at Hutt Hospital are being described as “disgraceful”, with water getting into wards, collapsing ceilings, and potential electrical hazards. Nurses say they're juggling patient care with buckets and mops, while Health NZ insists the issues are contained the hospitals remain safe. Chief Financial Officer Bevan McKenzie told Kerre Woodham those specific issues will be addressed over the next 12 months under the remediation programme. More broadly, he says, they have a weather tightness programme being implemented across the Health NZ estate, and they've earmarked $10 million for improvement in 2026/27 to continue that work. McKenzie says that water-related issues are complex, as it can be difficult to identify where they're stemming from, and wants to acknowledge the work the clinical and facilities teams are doing to improve the situation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palmerston North Hospital is funded for six full time gastroenterologists, but has none following the departure of its last specialist. A public meeting to address concerns about the gradual gutting of the service gets underway shortly. Health NZ says gastro services are continuing at the hospital, but patients are worried about continuity of care. Health NZ chief clinical officer, Doctor Richard Sullivan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Health New Zealand faces a $190 million bill to process holiday pay owed to tens of thousands of current and former workers. Collectively, $1.8 billion is budgeted to repay those affected by the miscalculations. Unions are scathing of the cost of meeting the repayments, and of the process itself, which has been plagued by delays. But Health NZ said the work is complex and time-consuming and requires to comb through years of records on the different payroll systems inherited from district health boards. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

How can we simultaneously have "record investment in health", while feeling like we're falling behind?  Why will anything less than an additional $1.4B in the Health NZ budget move health backward? How can it be that unmet need, population growth, and inflation are not properly accounted for in our official budget numbers?Kaitiaki Hauora is a new organisation made up of many groups with an interest in public health, rallying around the well-proven but oft-ignored idea that healthcare privatisation is an expensive, inefficient, and inequitable alternative to universal public healthcare.The Frontline speaks with former intensive care doctor, Dr David Galler, and economist Dr Bill Rosenberg of Kaitiaki Hauora about the tricky world of healthcare spending and the NZ economy.

Pharmac has recently proposed changing who can receive funded treatment for key diabetes medication, moving it in line with a cabinet directive from 2024 saying public services should be prioritised on the basis of need, not race. There has been an outcry from health professionals, such as the cardiac network, saying data shows that Maori and Pacific people are more at risk of diabetes, regardless of their socio-economic status, and the best way to maximise health benefit for dollars spent is by targeting these groups. Further criticism has been directed at Health NZ, which has banned the cardio network from objecting to the removal of eligibility criteria, saying it would breach the 2024 cabinet directive. Cardiologists will be forced to make submissions as individuals, a move the network has said is silencing scientific evidence in the name of politics  To discuss the eligibility changes and Health NZ silencing cardiologists, host Thomas spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, host Thomas spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about the party's proposed Nationally Determined contribution towards the Paris Agreement, funding for the Liquified Natural gas import terminal and public transport policy. He also talked to Victoria University Professor of Climate Science & Physical Geography James Renwick about a study which found concerns with costal flooding events in Wellington. And he spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton about Pharmac changing eligibility criteria for diabetes medication and Health NZ stopping cardiology groups from objecting. Caeden also spoke to Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand Chief Executive Letitia Harding about calls from the World Health Organisation to ban flavoured tobacco products.

Pharmac has recently proposed changing who can receive funded treatment for key diabetes medication, moving it in line with a cabinet directive from 2024 saying public services should be prioritised on the basis of need, not race. There has been an outcry from health professionals, such as the cardiac network, saying data shows that Maori and Pacific people are more at risk of diabetes, regardless of their socio-economic status, and the best way to maximise health benefit for dollars spent is by targeting these groups. Further criticism has been directed at Health NZ, which has banned the cardio network from objecting to the removal of eligibility criteria, saying it would breach the 2024 cabinet directive. Cardiologists will be forced to make submissions as individuals, a move the network has said is silencing scientific evidence in the name of politics  To discuss the eligibility changes and Health NZ silencing cardiologists, host Thomas spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, host Thomas spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about the party's proposed Nationally Determined contribution towards the Paris Agreement, funding for the Liquified Natural gas import terminal and public transport policy. He also talked to Victoria University Professor of Climate Science & Physical Geography James Renwick about a study which found concerns with costal flooding events in Wellington. And he spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton about Pharmac changing eligibility criteria for diabetes medication and Health NZ stopping cardiology groups from objecting. Caeden also spoke to Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand Chief Executive Letitia Harding about calls from the World Health Organisation to ban flavoured tobacco products.

According to Health NZ data, more than a quarter of couples in New Zealand will inexperience infertility ... and one in eight will require medical assistance to achieve pregnancy. But of course, treatments like IVF, or in vitro fertilization, can be costly, and there are no guarantees. That's why two years ago Jaimee Lupton founded Gingernut's Angels to help provide financial support to couples struggling with pregnancy.

AUT Chancellor and former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell joins Emile Donovan.

Emergency doctors are hoping money for digital upgrades will cut admin time for clinicians. Budget 2026 has dedicated more than 150 million dollars for Health NZ to strengthen cyber security, and another 300 million to upgrade its tech. GPs and emergency doctors alike say it could be a game changer. Health correspondent Kate Green reports.

The privacy commissioner has recommended a central vetting process for GP apps, following the Manage My Health data breach. It found Health NZ and Manage My Health "failed in their responsibilities" to have adequate security controls when hundreds of thousands of medical files were stolen in a cyber attack. The Commissioner says GP practices need to review their security settings and third party providers. Luke Bradford, President and Chair of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Both Manage My Health and Health NZ are vowing they've made big changes following last year's cyber-attack on 100 thousand patients. The Privacy Commissioner has found both failed to protect patient data. Phase Two of his review will ask whether people actually knew their data was being held in the health portal. Michael Webster told Mike Hosking we can't afford to be lax when it comes to private data. He says health information is highly sensitive, and there needs to be a greater commitment to protecting it on such platforms. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Half of all renal services nationally are operating above capacity, with Auckland services operating at 150 percent. According to the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry survey for 2025, there's a shortage of units, meaning more people are missing out on essential care. Kidney Health NZ general manager Madi Keay says hospitals are turning to 'band-aid' solutions, including offering shifts at off-peak time slots. "We're seeing a range of other solutions being proposed, but really, we want to be providing better resourcing so people can dialyse within the adequate service times." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A long-term patient of Palmerston North Hospital's gastroenterology department is concerned about the care he'll receive when the last permanent doctor leaves next month. Over recent years the service, which focuses on patients suffering from problems with their digestive systems, has struggled to attract specialists to work there. One left on Friday, and the other finishes in June. Temporary and locum doctors will fill the gaps, although Health NZ says it's sent out offers of employment to new recruits. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

Health New Zealand spent just over $216 million on locum doctors last year, up from the nearly $209 million spent in 2024, and just over $186 million in 2023. Health NZ clinical national director Dr Richard Sullivan says they are aiming to hire more permanent staff. But, Sullivan told Mike Hosking, locums will likely always be necessary, "getting people in certain parts of the country is a problem, always has been a problem, probably always will be a problem." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's cautious support being shown for a crack down on black market tobacco, but also warnings the tobacco industry itself could be stoking fears. A report into the illicit tobacco trade, released by Retail NZ, pushed for the formation of a unified response from Customs, Police, Health NZ and Inland Revenue. It's chief executive said we need to act quickly, but the Prime Minister isn't convinced. Finn Blackwell reports.

The post code lottery is still alive in New Zealand's heath system. That warning comes from doctors at Palmerston Hospital, where recruitment problems have driven one department to the brink. Of the two doctors still at the hospital's gastroenterology service one is about to finish and the other says he's going to leave too due to the workload and conditions. However, Health NZ said it has the ability to cover gaps in the service while it recruits replacements. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

New advice from Health New Zealand says many people don't need regular Covid boosters. Immunisation Advisory Centre medical director Nikki Turner spoke to Corin Dann.

Weekly interview with opposition leader, Chris Hipkins; Shane Jones discusses the current fuel situation in New Zealand; Whakatane's mayor discusses rate-capping plans; An update on the Middle East conflict from a US foreign policy expert; New advice from Health NZ over Covid boosters

There are concerns poor planning has contributed to the tsunami of demand on kidney disease treatment. Hospitals across New Zealand are struggling to keep up with life-saving dialysis treatment. Health New Zealand told 1News there's been a lack of funding in some parts of the country. General Practice NZ Chair Bryan Betty told Mike Hosking this problem was predicted 15 years ago, but no one planned ahead. He says it's driven primarily by a surge in diabetes, and if it's not addressed it will undermine the health system going forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A literal life saver for those admitted there, but a North Canterbury eating disorder residential facility can't attract government funding, leading to concerns about who can access care. Recovered Living NZ offers a different experience from the public system - catering for only nine people at a time - patients live in and stay for months at a time. But it comes at a cost of just over $1000 a night. The not-for-profit facility has a contract with ACC for sensitive claims patients but has been passed over for Health NZ funding to open the service to more people. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

There are hopes faster emergency care will ease pressure across the health system. In the three months to October, about 74% of ED patients were admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours. That's up from about 72% a year earlier. Health New Zealand Chief Clinical Officer Richard Sullivan told Mike Hosking teams are working hard to manage patient flow, as EDs are handling up to 7% more patients than last year. He says they're working to strengthen primary care, but the pressure is coming from illness in an ageing population and outbreaks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A return towards decentralisation is being painted as Health New Zealand's next chapter. The Government's reverting to giving hospitals more control - letting them decide staffing, budgets, and service delivery from July. It's adamant it's not a return to District Health Boards, with planning still done nationally. Acting chief executive Andrew Brant says Health NZ's finances are looking good and it's delivering more, but this ensures improvement continues. He explained the key change is bringing the operating model much more into the frontline - and communities into decisions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hospitals and public health services across the country are now looking for more than half-a-billion dollars in "efficiencies" they've been told to find, to re-invest in patient care. But from where?