Fewer Aucklanders are waiting to see a heart specialist, with the cardiology first specialist assessment (FSA) waitlist falling by a quarter since late 2023.
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced the figures this week, calling the reduction a “turning point” in one of New Zealand’s most pressing health challenges.
“Heart disease is one of the country’s leading causes of death. These numbers represent real lives being changed — a dad with chest pain being seen before a heart attack happens, or an older woman with breathlessness finally getting answers,” Mr Brown said.
Between November 2023 and March 2025, the number of patients waiting for a cardiology FSA dropped from 3,829 to 2,847 — a reduction of 25 per cent. The longest waits saw the biggest gains, with those waiting more than four months down 73 per cent, from 663 patients to 179.
The improvement comes after years of strain on the system. In the three years prior to 2023, Auckland’s cardiology waitlist had ballooned by 36 per cent, raising concerns about delayed diagnoses and treatment for thousands of patients.
Progress has now been recorded across all three Auckland districts:
- Waitematā: down 47 per cent
- Auckland: down 8 per cent
- Counties Manukau: down 20 per cent
Health officials credit the gains to a combination of measures led by local clinical teams. These include:
- Expanding clinic capacity through extra sessions and better use of existing resources.
- Strengthening reminder and follow-up systems to reduce missed appointments.
- Streamlining scheduling systems to ensure faster booking of assessments.
“Our plan is working — we are backing clinical teams, improving referral systems, and ensuring hospitals have the capacity to deliver faster, smarter care,” Mr Brown said.
Reducing FSA wait times is one of the Government’s key health targets. By 2030, the goal is for 95 per cent of patients to be seen within four months.
“Patients are still waiting too long, and there is more work to do,” Mr Brown acknowledged. “But this latest data shows we are heading in the right direction.”
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