- Hon Simeon Brown
Thousands of Kiwis stayed connected to health services over the holiday period thanks to the Government's new Online GP Care service, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
"During the Christmas and New Year period many New Zealanders are on holiday in different parts of the country and away from their regular GP. Online GP Care ensures they can still get timely medical advice and treatment wherever they are," Mr Brown says.
Over the December to mid-January holiday period, 11,800 online GP consultations were delivered to around 11,000 people.
Since launching in May 2025, the service has delivered over 60,600 online GP consultations to nearly 50,000 people, showing strong and sustained demand for flexible healthcare across the country:
- More than 85 per cent of consultations resulted in treatment being provided
- Nearly 72 per cent of users booked because they couldn't get a timely in-person appointment. Other reasons included rural location, work and family commitments, and avoiding exposure to infectious illness
- Use was highest among people aged 30-49 years
- 59.5 per cent of users were women and 40.2 per cent were men
- Māori made up 14.2 per cent of users, Pacific Peoples 6.9 per cent, and Asian communities 10.1 per cent
"The service is reaching people in both urban and rural communities across the North and South Islands," Mr Brown says.
To make access even easier, a new Next Available Appointment feature allows people to see the earliest appointment across all online GP providers and compare costs based on age and Community Services Card status.
The feature includes direct booking links and is an early step ahead of a more comprehensive booking system planned for mid-2026.
Health New Zealand is also exploring how Online GP Care can be used in more targeted ways, including clinician-to-clinician support in rest homes, community pharmacies, urgent care pathways, and other high-need services.
"Our focus is on ensuring New Zealanders can access healthcare when they need it. Online GP Care is already supporting thousands of people, and it is an important part of our plan to deliver a more accessible and responsive health system that puts patients at the centre," Mr Brown says.
