Health NZ has reported a 7.6 percentage point improvement in elective surgery wait times, with 64.9% of patients obtaining treatment within four months in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 57.3% in the same period last year.
The Q1 2026 data, covering January to March, showed 74.4% of emergency department patients were admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours, up 0.2 percentage points from 74.2% a year earlier. The Government has set a 95% target for both measures by 2030.
First specialist appointments within four months rose to 61.2% from 58.2%, while childhood immunisation at 24 months increased to 83.5% from 79.3%. Cancer management within 31 days of a decision to treat reached 86.2%, up 1.6 percentage points, with a 90% target set for 2030.
Health NZ chief executive Dr Dale Bramley said the organisation had recorded notable progress in timely access to CT and MRI scans and thanked staff who worked with and for Te Whatu Ora. "Despite the gains, we still have much more work to do as we seek to further lift outcomes and progress towards our 25/26 health target milestones," he said.
The quarter saw 333,100 people treated in emergency departments and 4.966 million GP visits.