Emergency departments across Northland were busier than usual over the holiday period this summer, with chest pains the most common complaint.
For the holiday period December 22, 2017 until midnight January 3, 2018 Bay of Islands Hospital Accident and Medical Department had 275 people through ED, which is up almost 20 per cent from the same period last year.
There were 1746 people through Whangarei Hospital Emergency Department, up 141 from 2016-17.
Kaitaia Hospital Accident and Medical department had 210 people through ED, which is 34 more than 2016-17.
The busiest day during the holiday period at Whangarei Hospital ED was New Year's Day with 176 presentations, up from 141 presentations the previous year.
Northland DHB spokesperson Neil Beney said there had been a steady increase in the number of people presenting to Whangarei Hospital Emergency Department.
This aligns with the population growth Northland is experiencing, Mr Beney said.
In December, on average, 116 people presented daily. To date in January 129 have presented on average each day.
The most common cause of admission across all three emergency departments was chest pain.
The next most common presentation across all three emergency departments was abdominal pain. Ankle sprain and strain was the third most common presentation across the three emergency departments.
The number of out-of-towners turning up at all three Northland Emergency departments has risen.
In the holiday period last year, 267 people from other regions of New Zealand turned up to Whangarei ED. This year there were 305.
The number of non-New Zealand residents presenting at Whangarei ED has remained steady, down one, from 44 last year to 43 this year.
Bay of Islands ED experienced a reasonable increase of Non-New Zealand residents - 17 this holiday period, up from 4 last year.
Mr Beney said there had been quite a high volume of "lower acuity presentations" at emergency departments.
"These people would benefit from going to a GP rather than presenting at ED."