West Auckland cancer patients will soon be able to receive treatment closer to home as part of a wider push to shift more healthcare services into the community and ease pressure on Auckland hospitals.
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced a new community-based cancer infusion centre will open in Henderson on Monday, alongside a new transitional discharge lounge at Waitākere Hospital aimed at freeing up beds ahead of winter.
The cancer infusion service, based at Te Whānau o Waipareira’s Whānau Centre in Henderson, will be the first community-based cancer infusion centre in West Auckland.
The service will operate five days a week with four treatment chairs and is expected to support between 45 and 50 patients each week.
Brown said the move would reduce the need for West Auckland patients to travel into the city for treatment at Auckland City Hospital.
“Until recently, people in West Auckland have had to travel into the city for cancer infusions, adding stress and disruption for patients and their families at an already difficult time,” he said.
“Being able to receive treatment closer to home means less travel, less money spent on fuel, and the ability to stay more connected to family and loved ones during a challenging time.”
The Henderson facility follows the opening of a separate infusion service at Waitākere Hospital last month and forms part of a nationwide expansion of cancer treatment capacity.
The Government says around 13,000 additional cancer infusions are expected to be delivered nationwide in 2025/26 — a 12 per cent increase on previous volumes — supported by a $210 million investment announced in Budget 2024.
That funding includes plans for 14 new infusion centres and upgrades to another 14 sites across the country, alongside workforce growth and new equipment linked to Pharmac’s $604 million medicines funding boost.
Brown said the changes reflected a broader shift toward providing more healthcare services in community settings.
“This is about putting patients at the centre of care and making it easier for people to access treatment in their own communities,” he said.
At the same time, Waitākere Hospital has opened a new transitional lounge designed to improve patient flow and reduce pressure on hospital wards and emergency departments.
The ground-floor facility will provide a dedicated space for patients who are medically ready for discharge but are waiting for transport, family pickup or transfer to aged residential care.
Brown said the initiative would help free up beds more quickly for acutely unwell patients, particularly heading into winter when hospitals face increased demand.
“When patients remain in wards after they are medically ready for discharge, it can delay care for others waiting in the emergency department or for planned admissions,” he said.
The transitional lounge is expected to support a wide range of patients, including those requiring wheelchairs, while also improving turnaround times for ambulance and transport providers such as Hato Hone St John.
The facility follows a similar discharge lounge model introduced at North Shore Hospital, which has been operating for 17 months and now supports an average of around 40 patients a day.
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