Stories by Rowan Quinn

Doctors and nurses say they're still working hellish shifts despite a steep drop in Covid-19 cases.

More than 1300 midwives are taking the Ministry of Health to court, saying they are fed up with broken promises to pay and support them properly. Audio

Auckland's specialist dental service was given hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2020 to fix the problem but has not been able to get on top of it, as referrals increase. Audio

National Party health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says he worries about an increasing cloud of secrecy so early in the piece for Te Whatu Ora/Health. Audio

Hospitals have until the end of the month to book a surgical slot for thousands of patients who have been waiting longer than a year. Audio

Surgeons are still taking a pen to their theatre lists every day, cancelling patients' operations at the last minute.

One year on from the country's longest Covid-19 lockdown, an epidemiologist says further lockdowns cannot be ruled out, instead preparing to do them better.

Whanganui Hospital failed to adequately treat a man for an ear infection which eventually killed him, with one doctor assuming he was on meth, the Health and Disability Commission has found.

Co-workers of a man who was fired for posing as a doctor at Middlemore Hospital raised concerns after they noticed his work was not up to standard.

Queenstown's urgent care clinic has had to double the number of staff it employs in the last few weeks as the South Island feels the pressure from winter illnesses.

Some acute heart patients are waiting weeks in hospital for an operation, too sick to go home but unable to get a surgical slot. Audio

Doctors say if new Covid-19 measures fail to work, they could be faced with making drastic decisions about which urgent patients to treat. Audio

A health recruiter's first overseas drive since the borders opened has maxxed out, with hopes it will bring in 100 desperately needed workers.

Operations are being cancelled or delayed in nearly every public hospital in the country because of winter illnesses, with a prediction it is about to get worse. Audio

Flu is dwarfing Covid-19 when it comes to hospitalisations at one of the country's busiest hospitals.

About 14,000 New Zealanders are known to have been infected with Covid-19 twice.

Urgent and after-hours clinics in Auckland are slashing their opening hours - or not opening at all - because they are so short staffed. Audio

That is despite predictions of a massive winter illnesses season, which is already contributing to long wait times in emergency departments in all of the major centres.

Counties Manukau DHB paid local GP practices to see patients over the weekend to help take pressure off Middlemore Hospital's emergency department.

A Covid-19 modeller is warning a second Omicron wave, likely in the next three to four months, could result in higher numbers of hospitalisations and deaths. Audio

A woman who had her bowel removed while she waited for drugs that would probably have prevented it hopes the Pharmac review will mean others don't suffer the same fate.

The Hutt Valley DHB has called the urgent meeting to be held tomorrow to discuss the quake-prone hospital's future.

Auckland Hospital does not have enough nurses to have all of its operating theatres running as it tries to catch up after Covid-19 delays.

A hunt is on for new publishers for the 135-year-old New Zealand Medical Journal, with warnings it would be a big loss if it folded.

The nurse at a rural aged care home arrived for work on a Monday and didn't leave until the Wednesday night because they were so short staffed.