Health NZ has expanded its temporary bed rollout to 103 beds nationwide by mid-July, 30 more than the 71 originally planned when $25 million in funding was announced in March.

As of early July, 81 extra beds were already available across the regions. The midland region received the most additions with 35 beds, including 12 at Waikato Hospital, 18 at Rotorua and five at Thames. Wellington Hospital and Burwood Hospital each added 12 beds, while Christchurch Hospital opened eight with another eight due on 17 July. A further 14 beds were scheduled to open at Middlemore on 8 July.

A Health NZ spokesperson said hospitals adjusted their plans after assessing demand. The winter preparations include 378 full-time equivalent staff positions, covering nursing, allied health, medical, healthcare assistant, support and non-clinical work. Health NZ central region executive director Chris Lowry said 85% of these positions were filled, under offer, had confirmed start dates, or were covered through additional duties or overtime.

Dr Tanya Wilton, an Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive member and emergency department doctor at Hutt Hospital, said emergency departments saw a record number of patients throughout the year. "It can be really, really packed. No seats left in the waiting room, all of the care spaces inside the emergency department are full, there's people in corridors when was no design ever to have people in the corridors," she said.

Wilton said people without secure housing were turning up at emergency departments, especially in poor weather, and she saw at least one patient each week whose housing situation was a factor in their hospital admission. She said Hutt Hospital ED had created additional shifts but existing staff were taking them. "To try and squeeze a bit more work out of your regular staff, that's a big ask," she said.

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton said beds were only functional if properly staffed. "EDs are slammed, they are not particularly well-staffed, and they are still subject to significant barriers to being able to get patients who need to be in other parts of the hospital admitted," she said.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels said her members were describing comparable overcrowding problems. She said patients deterred by long waits often arrived in worse condition after delaying care.

Last week, a man died after a reported nine-hour wait at Waikato ED, where other patients described the department as full with queues outside.

Lowry said Health NZ was concentrating on preventing illness, supporting primary care, improving hospital patient flow, and helping patients go home earlier. He said the organisation was partnering with general practices, pharmacies and primary providers to implement the winter plan. Health NZ has delivered almost 950,000 influenza immunisations nationwide since 1 April.