Every day, around 5,000 Kiwis seek help from urgent care services. But in many parts of the country, after-hours healthcare has become harder to access – and in some areas, it doesn’t exist at all.
This simply isn’t good enough.
That’s why our Government is delivering a $164 million investment in Budget 2025 to strengthen urgent and after-hours care across New Zealand – ensuring more Kiwis can access the care they need, when and where they need it.
John, I’m pleased to share that this investment means 98 per cent of New Zealanders will soon be able to reach in-person urgent care within an hour’s drive of home.
Our investment will deliver new identified services, including:
- Five new 24-hour urgent care services in Counties Manukau, Whangārei, Palmerston North, Tauranga, and Dunedin.
- New daytime urgent care services in cities like Lower Hutt, Invercargill, and Timaru.
- Extended after-hours services in places like Dargaville, Gisborne, Taupō, Masterton, Ashburton, and Oamaru.
- Better after-hours services in rural New Zealand with 24/7 on-call support to deliver enhanced care.
This is all part of our wider plan to get health back on track, building on:
- 100 clinical placements for overseas-trained doctors.
- Recruitment incentives for up to 400 graduate nurses annually for five years.
- 100 additional doctor training places at our medical schools over the course of this Government.
- Up to 120 training places for nurse practitioners in GP clinics.
- And a $285 million funding boost for GP clinics over the next three years.
National’s strong economic management is what makes this investment possible, and it’s how we’re delivering on our commitment to put patients first and ensure all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare.
Thank you for your continued support.
Simeon Brown
National Party Spokesperson for Health
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