Christopher Luxon and Simeon Brown announced $164m for new 24/7 urgent care services at East Care in Botany today. Photo / Dean Purcell
Christopher Luxon and Simeon Brown announced $164m for new 24/7 urgent care services at East Care in Botany today. Photo / Dean Purcell
Northlanders will have improved access to healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown said on Sunday.
The news, part of a pre-Budget announcement, included plans for a new 24/7 urgent care service in Whangārei from 2026, and to introduce extended after-hours services for Dargaville, Hokianga, Kaitāia and Wellsford.
Brown said the initiatives would improve access to care outside normal hours for unwell or injured Northlanders.
“These investments will give people – especially in rural and remote communities – greater access to essential services like diagnostics and urgent medicines when they need them,” Brown said.
“More options in the evening, overnight, and on weekends for locals will also reduce pressure on emergency departments and deliver better outcomes for patients.”
Brown said rural and remote communities would also benefit from easier access to diagnostic tests, equipment and common medicines as well as 24/7 on-call support.
Today’s announcement comes after a state-of-healthcare meeting roadshow across the country by Patient Voice Aotearoa chairman Malcom Mulholland last month.
During the Whangārei meeting, emergency doctor Gary Payinda said the state of the system in Northland had left patients “long suffering”.
Doctor shortages, procedure delays and a lack of specialists were all outlined as issues.
Alarms were also raised on May 10 over a lack of doctors at Kaitāia Hospital after a patient was assessed by telehealth and allowed to leave without treatment, despite suffering a stroke.
Dr Shane Reti
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National’s Whangārei MP Dr Shane Reti and Northland MP Grant McCallum, in a joint statement, said Budget 2025 would invest $164 million over four years to expand urgent and after-hours services countrywide.
McCallum said improved urgent and after-hours healthcare was also on the horizon for rural and remote communities, with services identified for Kaikohe, Kawakawa, Mangawhai and Waipapa.
“This is a major step toward a healthcare system that works for everyone, ensuring all New Zealanders – including the people of Northland – have access to timely, quality urgent care, no matter where they live.”
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
