From NZ Herald · · 2m
Labour pledges immediate hospital review
Labour promises to review hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected.
In brief
Labour promises to review hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected. Labour pledges to carry out immediate review of hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected to form next government. Originally reported by NZ Herald.
Labour's hospital plan
Labour leader Chris Hipkins and health spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall will announce immediate review of hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected to form next government.
Current emergency department crisis
Patients wait too long, emergency departments are overcrowded, and nurses and doctors face enormous pressure.
National's staffing issues
National has hired just 54 nurses in two years while hospitals struggle to cope and newly qualified nurses can't find jobs.
Labour's four priorities
Moving patients through hospital faster, getting people right care in right place, keeping people healthy out of hospital, stronger leadership from day one.
Verrall's hospital report
Labour will order immediate report identifying hospital beds that could be opened with right staffing and make hospitals accountable for patient care.
Tackling ED delays
Serious delays in emergency departments often happen because there's lack of beds in hospital wards creating backlog in emergency room.
Home care solutions
Labour will train more extended-care paramedics to treat people safely at home or in community and connect health professionals with specialists.
GP access improvements
Labour will provide three free GP visits a year through Medicard, free prescriptions, more GP appointments and local clinics to get treatment earlier.
Nurse hiring guarantee
Labour will end National's hiring freeze and guarantee every eligible New Zealand-trained graduate nurse a job in health system starting 2027.
2,400 nurse placements
Around 2,400 graduates a year will be offered work with roles available from 2027.
Winter preparedness
Labour will tackle staffing and discharge bottlenecks and prepare hospitals for winter before demand surges.
Home recovery support
Labour will fund teams to help older people recover safely at home after hospital discharge.
Medicard expansion
Labour will expand Medicard to provide three free GP visits a year and more access to medicines.
Health system accountability
Labour will make hospitals accountable for getting patients the care they need through better staffing and discharge processes.
Election context
Labour's pledge comes as election 2026 approaches with National and Labour competing for government.
What happens next
Labour will carry out immediate review of hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected to form next government.
The one thing
Labour pledges to carry out immediate review of hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected to form next government.
