Health specialists are playing catch up when it comes to waiting lists.
More than 200,000 New Zealanders were sitting on a health-related wait list at the end of July; more than the entire population size of Hamilton.
They include people waiting for surgery, a first specialist assessment and other treatment.
Health Minister Andrew Little told Mike Hosking Health New Zealand is now working through the lists.
He says they've been able to see around 50 percent of the people who have been waiting over 12 months.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.