Patients are experiencing long wait times for elective surgeries, sometimes lasting months. Many are choosing private treatment and paying thousands to avoid these delays. The health system is struggling with staff shortages and worker burnout. While the government aims to reduce wait times, it has also cut funding to healthcare.
One man from Greymouth had to mortgage his house to pay for private surgery after learning he would have to wait over a year for the public system. After a year of pain from a torn groin muscle, he opted for private care costing $27,500. His mother also faced delays; after a fall, she waited eight days to have leg surgery, often being told it would be canceled at the last minute.
In Hawke’s Bay, Annie Evans is worried about her husband, who is still waiting for cataract surgery since his diagnosis in October. He has had two surgeries scheduled, both canceled at the last moment. Evans expressed frustration over the funding cuts while the health system is under pressure, highlighting the impact on quality of life.
Professor Lester Levy, the new head of Health New Zealand, acknowledged the long wait times and emphasized the need to reduce them. Te Whatu Ora stated they had performed 10% more elective surgeries in the past year but admitted that nearly 78,000 patients waited longer than four months for a first specialist appointment.
Jo Gibbs from the hospital’s services team noted that the demand for services is rising due to an aging population and more complex health issues. She mentioned that efforts are being made to improve communication about surgery wait times for patients and doctors, with plans to reach out to over 25,000 patients who waited longer than 120 days for their first specialist assessment.
