Nurses at North Shore Hospital in New Zealand have met with Health NZ officials to address what they describe as a crisis in the hospital's Emergency Department.

The Ombudsman has called on Health NZ to improve 'conditions of detention' at Wakari Hospital by ending prolonged isolation and enhancing physical living arrangements for patients.

Bargain Chemist in Lyall Bay, Wellington, is unable to fulfill prescriptions for funded medications and plans to appeal a decision by Health NZ.

A women's health advocate has criticized Health NZ's assertion that there was no indication of harm despite nearly one million missed cervical screening alerts, calling the situation 'a fail'.

Concerns regarding Dunedin's Wakari Hospital, including human rights issues, were raised prior to their public uncovering, with Health NZ confirming that district inspectors had visited the facility more frequently than legally required.

Health NZ has shelved a significant hospital restructure proposal after unions, including the Public Service Association, exposed fundamental flaws in the plan.

A new six-storey East Wing has opened at Taranaki Base Hospital, with Health NZ stating that the new facility is expected to ease capacity pressure on the stretched healthcare system.

Health NZ is set to complete its work on medical scanning systems, following a significant increase in reported faults from dozens annually to over 800 in 2024.

Health NZ is planning cuts to dozens of clinical roles in the top half of the North Island. Most affected individuals are expected to be redeployed to different positions within the health system.

Health NZ announced that over 1 million people have been vaccinated against influenza, calling it a 'fantastic achievement and milestone' ahead of the winter season.

National figures on declined specialist referrals are unknown, but one in five referrals were declined last year in seven districts, raising concerns from the senior doctors' union about Health NZ's data collation.

Residents in Darfield, New Zealand, have questioned Health NZ about the future of their 10-bed hospital and other healthcare services, a year after admissions were halted.

Health NZ has identified 180 radiology reports that were not sent back to referring doctors, and an official apology will be issued as these reports are now being dispatched.

Health New Zealand has revised its guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations, announcing that individuals between the ages of 30 and 64 no longer require regular booster shots.

Health NZ has prohibited its staff from using free AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for writing clinical notes, warning that such use could lead to formal disciplinary action.

The agency confirmed an internal report had identified job cuts would carry risks, but says it's managing them through new ways of working.

Pathology labs are vital but a choke point in processing virtually all the samples of patients from hospitals and doctors.

Health NZ is facing criticism from the Public Service Association (PSA) over redundancy payouts to non-clinical staff, which the union describes as a 'disgraceful waste of money' that will burden the health system for years.

The Gisborne charity Te Kupenga Net Trust is facing potential deregistration due to late submission of its accounts, prompting Health NZ to review its tender awarding process.

Documents have revealed a hiring crackdown within Health NZ, prompting politicians to weigh in on the implications. The revelations suggest significant changes in the health sector's employment policies.

Staff at Palmerston North Hospital are working extra shifts to cope with demand, but one doctor warns that the situation is unsustainable and has pleaded for assistance from Health NZ.

New Zealand's spending on temporary doctors to fill staffing gaps in the health system has reached a new peak. The amount spent has now surpassed $200 million for the third consecutive year.

The health authority finally confronted patients over paused procedures at Palmerston North Hospital.

Health New Zealand has refuted claims of poor planning regarding a shortage of gastroenterology doctors at Palmerston North Hospital, attributing the staffing challenges to a specialist's retirement and unexpected illnesses among staff.

Emergency doctors are raising alarms about a deepening hospital crisis, noting that the winter flu season has yet to reach its peak, though Health NZ states that winter is always a busy period and planning has been underway since March.

Cardiac scientists in New Zealand are reportedly being silenced by Health NZ over their objections to proposed changes in the funding criteria for diabetes treatments, particularly concerning their targeting of Māori and Pasifika populations.

Health New Zealand employees, including those at Auckland and Middlemore hospitals, are facing a second email address change within a short period, following recent transitions from old district health board addresses.

New Zealand's Budget 2026 allocates $153.6 million to Health NZ for expanding national cybersecurity monitoring, strengthening data security processes, and delivering IT safety upgrades, with health experts expressing hope for improved patient data safety.

A frustrated and acclaimed emergency doctor has resigned from Health NZ, citing dissatisfaction with the healthcare system.

Health NZ has reported a new measles case in Wellington, New Zealand, with the individual possibly exposed at either the Warbirds Over Wānaka airshow or the Ultra New Zealand music festival in early April.

Health New Zealand (HNZ) is getting rid of hundreds of old websites and says it is saving millions by doing so.

A report indicates that Health NZ is significantly underspending its capital expenditure for hospital construction, primarily due to difficulties in recruiting and retaining experienced project directors for major projects.

Health NZ has been cautioned that maintaining financial control will be a significant challenge during its decentralisation process, a concern previously cited when the central agency's board was dismissed.

Hundreds of patients in the Greater Wellington region had been offered $150 petrol payments to travel out of the district for diagnostic procedure.

The Public Service Association says cuts to Health NZ's digital team mean they have lost IT experts who know how to patch up outages quickly.

An exclusive data interactive has been released, allowing the public to search real shift numbers for nearly every ward and hospital across New Zealand, shedding light on hospital staffing levels.

Health New Zealand believes the technology behind its failure-prone cervical screening register is largely OK - but not entirely. The register that was rushed in three years ago failed to...

Despite an influx of patients at Wellington's hospital, the city's GP-run urgent care clinic is unable to extend its operating hours. Health NZ confirmed that the clinic lacks sufficient staff to cope with increased demand.

Health NZ reports that homeless mental health patients often remain in inpatient care for extended periods beyond clinical necessity due to difficulties in arranging suitable accommodation.

Health NZ has stated that repairs are underway at Hutt Hospital to address significant leaks, collapsed roofing panels, failing lights, and crackling electrical sockets that staff reported earlier in the week.

Palmerston North has lost its last gastro doctor, prompting Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to reassure the community that gastro services are continuing and recruitment efforts are underway.

Health NZ has incurred costs of $190 million to correct holiday pay errors, a process unions have criticized as frustrating despite the organization citing its complexity.

Health NZ has presented a revised funding offer to General Practitioners, which includes more money and a reworked rural funding formula, following their rejection of an earlier proposal.

An in-principle agreement between Health NZ and the primary care sector proposes that general practitioner fees will not increase for 12 months, though Labour critics argue this approach merely perpetuates existing problems.

New Zealand's Privacy Commissioners found that Health NZ and Manage My Health 'failed in their responsibilities' to implement adequate security controls for patient portals, which were reportedly adopted on 'good faith'.

Dr. Gary Jackson, head of Health NZ's population health team, states that the entire health system is 'running very tight,' prompting discussions on the necessity of increased investment in health planning for New Zealand.

Mark Darrow has been announced as the new chairperson for the Health NZ board, set to begin his three-year term on May 1.

Health NZ is seeking long-term contracts with the private sector for eye operations, a move made without first assessing the potential cost savings compared to existing short-term outsourcing.

New Zealand Health Minister Simeon Brown is seeking urgent advice on how to alleviate the impact of rising fuel prices on support workers. Relief could potentially be offered by increasing the existing mileage allowance that these workers receive.

Leaked documents indicate 'extreme risk' associated with the decentralisation reforms of Health NZ, following a $2 billion savings plan and criticism over financial controls.

Health workers in New Zealand have voted to ratify a new collective agreement with Health NZ, concluding 18 months of bargaining with the PSA union.

Health NZ and the Public Service Association (PSA) have reached a new collective agreement, concluding months of negotiations and strike action. The deal includes a pay increase of 2.5 percent from December 2025 and a further 2 percent from December this year.