# Labour pledges immediate hospital review

> Labour promises to review hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected.
- Title: Labour pledges immediate hospital review · NZ Herald
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: labour, hospital, wait times, bed shortages, emergency departments, christian hipkins, ayesha verrall, new zealand, election 2026, politics, news, pledges
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-labour-pledges-to-carry-out-immediate-review-of-hospital-wait-times-and-bed-shortages/HPK7ZBU6G5F7VIQUY3TY2VEYMU
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: labour, hospital, wait times, bed shortages, emergency departments, christian hipkins, ayesha verrall, new zealand, election 2026, politics, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Labour pledges to carry out immediate review of hospital wait times and bed shortages if elected to form next government.