'Horrific' hospital wait times and an under-resourced sector - survey

New Zealanders have described GP and hospital wait times as 'horrific' and the health sector as 'under resourced', according to a new survey of peoples' perception of the health system.

Research company Ipsos has conducted their global health service survey in 31 countries, which asked questions relating to the state of their health systems.

It found that 62 percent of the 1000 surveyed in New Zealand said understaffing was the biggest problem facing the health system.

That number was significantly higher than the global average, where 45 percent said it was their main problem.

New Zealanders who responded to the study also said mental health was the biggest health issue facing the country. today.

That was followed by cancer, obesity, stress, drug abuse and Covid-19.

Beside short staffing, New Zealand respondents said access to treatment/long wait times, cost of accessing treatment and large of investment were their other big problems.

Ipsos NZ country manager Carin Hercock said in the global context New Zealand had a good health care system - but there were problems.

"We are seeing quite significant numbers of people concerned about the staffing issues that we have in New Zealand and about the lack of investment.

"So you would say that looking forward there tends to be a growing issue in this area."

Royal College of GPs president Samantha Murton said they were seeing an increase in wait times across the country.

"We've been sort of slowly winding down the number of GPs and that shortage is starting to show where the wait times are increasing and people are no longer able to take on any volume of patients."

She indicated there were some positive signs in the sector.

"Currently we have the biggest number of GP trainees that we have ever had.

"We have applications [coming] in for the coming year that are at a similar number again which is really gratifying."

She would like to see junior doctors spend a year after they have finished studying in working a GP.

"That would be a game-changer as well, because it would get our current cohort of junior doctors going: 'yup, come into general practice, [and] do all that medical delivery of care close to home'."