Podcasts about health nz

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.

GP fees could be frozen for 12 months from July under a proposed Health NZ shake-up of the funding system. Under the proposals, around 60 percent of practices would receive increased funding through capitation re-weighting and annual funding increased. Overall funding for GPs would reportedly increase by six percent, as part of a $120.6 million injection for primary health. Health Minister Simeon Brown joined the Weekend Collective to unpack the overhaul. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 27th of May 2026, Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire tells Ryan what we can expect from the OCR ahead of Thursday's Budget. Remand numbers dropped in 2025 as prisoner numbers reached record high and no one knows why, criminal lawyer Steve Cullen shares his thoughts. The Privacy Commissioner says Health NZ and Manage My Health failed to protect out data, Health NZ Chief Financial Officer Bevan McKenzie tells Ryan what Health NZ will do moving forward. Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on four people killed in a collision between a train and a school minibus in Belgium and two aid workers have brought suspected cases of Ebola to Europe. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health NZ is apologising for the Manage My Health cyber-attack. The Privacy Commissioner has found both failed to protect sensitive patient information. Over 90% of the 100 thousand patients affected late last year were Northlanders. Health NZ says it's working on a response plan after commissioning its own report from Deloitte. Chief Financial Officer Bevan McKenzie told Ryan Bridge cyber risks are something to be highly aware of, and people themselves need to be vigilant as well. 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.

Concerns life-saving kidney care is underfunded across New Zealand. Dialysis - a vital treatment for thousands - can take hours, with some patients travelling long distances or managing care at home without any medical support. Health New Zealand admitted to 1News there's been a lack of funding in renal care in some parts of the country. Kidney Health New Zealand General Manager Madi Keaytold Ryan Bridge every hospital unit is struggling. She says Christchurch Hospital's come forward with concerns care may have to be rationed - and every unit would be feeling similar pressures. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health NZ have had to tell their staff to stop using free AI tools such as Chat GPT for writing clinical notes. LISTEN ABOVESee 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.

Public health experts have noticed this latest Covid wave is worsening as fewer Kiwis are getting vaccination boosters and tests, and it's renewed debate about sick leave. Wastewater analysis from PHF Science shows that the number of cases is at the highest rate it's been for over six months, and Health NZ says there's been 50 hospitalisations and 19 deaths from the virus this week. Otago University associate professor Paula O'Kane says it's important to let sick leave accrue every year - and stay consistent as Kiwis move jobs. "It would give people access to better sick leave, it might discourage misuse of sick leave, and when people are actually sick for a longer period of time, they're better covered. So it would really help to deal with issues around people's long-term illness, for example." 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?

Elana Cohen is an occupational therapist who has two decades experience working with children of all ages and abilities - and their families. She's Nelson based - working for Health NZ's Child Development Service, as well as in private practice. Elana says parents and caregivers need lots of support to help neurodivergent children flourish.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Latest on information for patients, ransom and possible release of details on darkweb, government action - Health NZ, police, GCSB.

A retired Waikato couple who worked for Hamilton's hospital for over six decades between them are facing a lengthy wait for tens of thousands of dollars of holiday pay. Errors in calculating holiday pay date back over 15 years and will cost Health NZ about $1.8 billion in payouts. Most current employees have been repaid, but Health NZ has only recently started paying former staff, and many won't see a cent for another year. It says the process is a complex, requiring constant checks and accessing different payroll systems. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

Frustrated health workers are questioning why hospitals and health services are being asked to find another five hundred million dollars in "efficiency savings" out of this year's budget, while half a billion dollars earmarked for salaries went unspent last year. The "underspend" was due to unfilled vacancies, unpaid Holidays Act remediation - and the fact Health NZ has yet to settle its collective contract disputes with senior doctors and nurses. Ruth Hill reports.

Health NZ management is accusing nurses of failing to honour their commitment to provide so-called "life preserving services" during a partial strike. Ruth Hill reports.

Red tape continues to tie up New Zealand's agriculture and horticultural sectors. Animal and Plant Health NZ's annual survey finds nearly half its members feel regulatory performance has worsened, despite recommendations put forward by the Ministry for Regulation earlier this year. Chief executive Liz Shackleton told Mike Hosking despite reassurance from regulators, the day-to-day process is not getting easier. She says farmers and growers face a raft of challenges and don't have the right tools for the job. She says it's a real handbrake on economic growth, and we're missing out on better environmental outcomes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the death of a two-year old baby in Manawatū earlier this year Midland Community Pharmacy Group chief executive Pete Chandler co-ordinated an audit. The audit found 1,200 prescription mistakes in one week- 26% of the mistakes posing 'high risk of harm' to patients. Chandler told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the days of doctors' handwriting causing issues are over, but electronic systems have introduced a whole new range of problems. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police attended 7,370 fewer mental health-related requests in the year to June - the result of a plan to wind back on responding to calls for help. 

Health New Zealand has stepped up precautions after two confirmed separate outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant super bugs at Christchurch Hospital. It says there are fewer than 10 patients with the infection known as VRE but many are asymptomatic carriers. The bacteria is difficult to treat due to its resistance and in some case can be potentially life threatening. Associate Professor Mark Thomas, an infectious diseases researcher at the University of Auckland, spoke to Lisa Owen.

Wellington's Depression Recovery Centre is now almost certain to close after it received news this afternoon that Health NZ won't save it. ACC recently stopped funding clients to use Whakamatutu's services and the centre hoped Health NZ could cover the shortfall. But in an email this afternoon Health NZ told the centre it didn't have any discretionary funds available. Depression Recovery Trust's Wellington Board chair Dame Diana Crossan spoke to Lisa Owen.

The number of known measles cases in the country has climbed to 17, with new cases confirmed in Wellington and Auckland over the weekend. Health NZ's executive national director Dr Nick Chamberlain spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Government's turning to rapid off-site building, to add 140 extra beds to hospitals around the country. It's announced new wards will be constructed off-site for Middlemore, Waikato, Wellington and Nelson hospitals next year. They'll open at the same time as an already-announced new ward at Hawke's Bay Hospital. Health New Zealand's Head of Infrastructure Delivery Blake Lepper, told Mike Hosking that the budget has allowed them to get one extra unit than what they were expecting. He says they're ordering buildings that can be sent to wherever the highest needs are around the country. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts says New Zealand is in the danger zone for a measles outbreak, but it could be prevented if more people get vaccinated. It comes after Health NZ identified a possible super spreader event on board a Cook Strait ferry during the school holidays. Felix Walton reports.

Health NZ is releasing a new information campaign to encourage parents to immunise their children after the outbreak of measles in Northland. 

Health New Zealand has just under two weeks to comply with a WorkSafe order to put systems in place to protect workers from psychosocial risks at work. Health New Zealand Interim Chief HR Officer Robyn Shearer spoke to Corin Dann.

Fish and Game New Zealand and University of Otago researchers surveyed one thousand nine hundred Kiwi anglers and found they were 52 percent less likely to report psychological distress or thoughts of self harm. Fish and Game's Chief Operating Officer Richie Cosgrove spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Public Service Association has said a rollback of Health NZ work programmes in the alcohol harm prevention space is the result of lobbying from the alcohol industry. Investigative reporter Guyon Espiner spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More than 11 years after the deaths of two patients at Palmerston North Hospital's mental health ward triggered damning reviews into the facility, a replacement has been opened. But the families of Erica Hume and Shaun Gray who died in 2014, and families of patients who have died since, were absent at the official ceremony today. Health NZ says they'll get a chance to look through the new ward and has apologised if they wanted to attend the opening. A warning, this report from Jimmy Ellingham mentions suicide.

6000 senior doctors and dentists have today walked off the job, in a 48-hour strike that began at midnight. Union members are taking part in protests across the motu as drawn-out collective agreement negotiations stall. Health Minister Simeon Brown has criticised the strike action, which Health NZ says will affect thousands of patients. It's now taking unprecedented legal action to end the industrial dispute, but the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says government officials aren't coming to the negotiating table with any meaningful offers. Jessica Hopkins reports.

In today's episode, in a blow for the Government, the economy has had a much larger slump than expected which the Finance Minister's blaming in part on Donald Trump's trade tariffs, negotiations between Health New Zealand and senior hospital doctors have hit a wall - Health NZ has asked the Employment Relations Authority to come up with a settlement, Contact Energy says it's seeking fast-track approval to adjust Lake Hawea's minimum operating level in a bid to help generate more renewable energy and keep the region's power supply reliable, we're joined by our sports panel - One News Sports Editor Abby Wilson and former All Black captain Taine Randell, and we cross the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh.

"Tired, sick and absolutely devastated by a system that is not allowing us to do our jobs." That from one of the 36,000 nurses on strike today - as the lengthy negotiations between Health NZ and the Nurses Organisation stall once again. Nurses picketed outside Minister of Health Simeon Brown's Auckland office, and at the Wellington Hospital. Health NZ says the strike has disrupted more than 13,000 surgeries and appointments. Felix Walton has more.