Simeon Brown: Health Minister on the move to improve medical wait times and the problems in Gisborne and Nelson

The Health Minister's confident two of the Government targets will improve this year. 

Health New Zealand data shows child vaccinations, cancer treatment times, and ED stay lengths have improved, but wait times for elective treatments and first specialist assessments have lengthened. 

Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking the wait times are of particular concern. 

He says the targets are in place to highlight these issues, and more money is being allocated to facilitate.  

Brown told Hosking the elective boost aims to ease the situation by outsourcing electives to the private sector, and $50 million has been allocated to the boost. 

The Health Minister also says problems at Gisborne and Nelson hospitals are being addressed. 

Gisborne's facing critical staff shortages, while senior staff have spoken out with concerns about the level of care in Nelson. 

Health New Zealand staff are now in Nelson, putting a plan together with local clinicians, while in Gisborne, jobs are being recruited for. 

Brown says there are challenges at both hospitals, and solutions are on the way. 

He says some unions are trying to make a lot of noise and is asking them to work with Health New Zealand. 

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