The government has committed to greater accessibility to urgent and after-hours healthcare in the regions, with several new 24-hour services planned around the country.
New funding of $164 million has been allocated over the next four years, with 24-hour urgent care clinics "identified" for Counties Manukau, Whangārei, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Dunedin.
The funding boost also covers "new and extended" daytime services for other centres, including Lower Hutt, Invercargill and Timaru.
In a pre-Budget announcement on Sunday, Health Minister Simeon Brown said the funding boost would mean 98 percent of New Zealanders would have access to in-person urgent care within an hour's drive.
"Strengthening urgent and after-hours care is an important part of our government's plan to ensure all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare," Brown said.
"Budget 2025 is investing $164 million over four years to expand urgent and after-hours healthcare services across the country. This means 98 percent of New Zealanders will be able to receive in-person urgent care within one hour's drive of their homes."
Labour said, while it supported the funding, the annoucement wasn't enough to turn around the the health system.
Funding will also cover maintaining all existing urgent and after-hours healthcare services across the country and improved after-hour services in remote and rural areas with round-the-clock on-call support.
"Around 5000 New Zealanders visit urgent care clinics every day, but the availability of after-hours services has declined in recent years, and access remains variable across the country," Brown said.
"Making it easier to see a doctor or nurse is a key priority for this government. We're taking action to ensure Kiwis can access the care they need, when and where they need it."
The investment would also support more timely care, easing pressure on emergency departments, and improving outcomes for patients, Brown said.
"Urgent care supports patients with non-life-threatening injuries or medical problems not severe enough to require emergency department care, but who can't wait until the following day for medical attention," he said.
"Expanding community-based urgent care will help ease pressure on hospitals and keep emergency departments wait times down for those with the most serious conditions.
"It also gives people more choice, particularly in rural and remote areas where options have been limited."
Labour supportive, but says more cash needed
DR Ayesha Verrall Photo: VNP/Louis Collins
Labour supports the government's funding announcment, but says it's not enough to fundamentally change how New Zealanders access care.
Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said it would help close some of the gaps in the system.
"What we're not seeing is an integrated plan to really get New Zealanders early access to general practice and the they need. The announcements are not of a scale to be able to transform the health system."
Verrall said it was a moderate amount of money for the goals the government has set.
Labour supports the government putting $164 million toward urgent after-hour health care, but says it's not enough to fundamentally change how New Zealanders access care.
Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said the announcement "plugs some of the gaps", but thought there would be challenges.
"This is a moderate amount of money for the goals that the government has set."
Verrall said what was missing was "an integrated plan to really get New Zealanders early access to general practice and the treatment they need".
"We know that one in six New Zealanders are missing out on trips to a GP every year."
Verrall said there were challenges with staffing and "the government will have to work hard to make sure these clinics are properly staffed".
"There are pressures on doctors and nursing staff for these clinics, and we know that nurses in primary care just had one of their pay equity claims blocked, so they will have to put money in to make the staffing work."
Verrall said she started work on urgent care in 2023, because "these gaps have emerged".
She said this was a "good move" by the government, "some investment here was needed".
"This will help close some of these gaps, but it won't fundamentally transform the care system for New Zealanders."
Verrall acknowledged the Health Minister's work and believed he was taking the role seriously.
"I've been very pleased with the number of initiatives that I started, that I've seen him announce. What I disagree with is his priorities and his tactics."
Verrall said Brown hadn't invested at the "scale required to turn around the health system".
"Today's announcement was pocket change when it comes to the overall health budget. Similarly, the investments in primary care, while good, were not of a scale to make a difference."
Meanwhile, a top urgent care doctor says new and extended emergency clinics will need to be backed up by additional staff.
Royal College of Urgent Care chair Kelvin Ward questions where the government will find the people to run new clinics.
He said urgent care clinics were already under significant pressure due to a lack of workforce.
Dr Ward hoped the Budget will also include additional training for new and existing urgent care staff.
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