Wellington, June 2025 — Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Health Minister Simeon Brown have addressed mounting pressure from Kaitiaki emergency department (ED) nurses, who have raised concerns that achieving the government’s six‑hour target—95 % of ED patients admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours—is unrealistic without additional resources.
Ministers on the Ground
During a recent visit to Nelson (and elsewhere), both ministers emphasized the government’s investments in hospital infrastructure, positioning these as the foundation for meeting ED targets:
- Nicola Willis, speaking alongside Brown, highlighted the allocation of Budget 2025: “It was a pleasure to join Health Minister Simeon Brown this week as we announced a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces for Wellington Hospital… Another 36 new outpatient consult and treatment spaces will improve access to follow‑up care and ease pressure on acute services.”
- Simeon Brown stressed that infrastructural improvements—including new EDs and beds—are vital to improving patient flow and achieving statutory waiting targets.
Nurses Push Back
The Kaitiaki (NZNO College of Emergency Nurses) have consistently warned that without increased bed capacity and hospital-wide system improvements, ED staff cannot meet the 95% six-hour benchmark. In February, they urgently requested a meeting with Minister Brown, stating:
“It’s not an ED solution, it’s a hospital‑wide solution… If you don’t have flow out the hospital’s back end… there is no way EDs could reach the 95 per cent target.”
At that time, performance on this target stood at just 67.5%, down from 71.2% the prior quarter.
Government’s Stance
- Infrastructure investment focus: Both ministers assert that new facilities and beds will relieve back-end bottlenecks and improve throughput.
- Legislative backing: Brown announced upcoming legislation to embed health targets into law, making accountability for outcomes legally binding.
- System-wide reform drive: The reforms signal a shift toward efficiency and delivery across Health NZ, cutting bureaucracy so efforts concentrate on front-line services.
Remaining Concerns
Health advocates and unions—including the PSA—continue to warn against maintaining or reinstating hiring freezes, arguing frontline staff shortages must be urgently addressed or infrastructure alone will not deliver results.
Bottom Line
The government remains committed to reaching the six‑hour ED target via infrastructure upgrades, legal accountability, and operational reforms. Meanwhile, nurses and workforce advocates insist these efforts must be matched by sufficient staffing and seamless hospital-wide patient flow or risk falling short. The long-term effectiveness of this strategy will likely hinge on their ability to deliver both physical assets and human capital in tandem.
What’s next?
- The Kaitiaki are expected to meet with Ministers soon to detail their continued concerns.
- Legislation embedding health targets is set to be introduced in the coming weeks.
- The impact of these measures will be closely monitored as 2025 unfolds.
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