Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Frontline ambulance crews responded to more than 450,000 incidents nationwide in 2024, according to latest data compiled by Hato Hone St John.
But do users need to pay for an ambulance if one is called to transport them to an emergency medical centre?
And why does it sometimes take so long to see a doctor after arriving at an emergency department?
In a medical emergency, it's good to know the answers to these questions and more ahead of the incident.
Here's what you need to know about New Zealand's emergency healthcare system.
Either myself or someone I know is suffering a medical emergency. What should I do?
Police advise people in a medical emergency to call 111 and ask for an ambulance if someone has:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain (this can feel like a weight or a squeezing feeling in your chest)
- Fainted or gone unconscious
- A life-threatening mental health situation
- Suffered a stroke - they may have suddenly gone weak, had their vision change, become dizzy or have trouble talking
- Severe pain anywhere
- Bleeding that will not stop
What happens then?
Communications centres located in various parts of the country receive 111 emergency calls and coordinate the deployment of air or ground resources.
In the event of a medical emergency, the communications centre will assign the most appropriate emergency unit to the scene.
In most parts of New Zealand, ambulance services are provided by Hato Hone St John. In Wellington, they are offered by Wellington Free Ambulance.
What healthcare services are typically available in an emergency?
Large public hospitals have emergency departments, which operate 24/7 and are staffed with on-duty physicians around the clock. Find the locations of emergency departments nationwide here.
It's important to note that New Zealand's emergency system is primarily supported by the public healthcare system.
While some private hospitals do offer emergency medical services, insurance providers sometimes exclude emergency costs incurred at private facilities.
Can someone go straight to an emergency department before seeing a GP or calling an ambulance?
Emergency departments typically do not provide non-urgent medical treatment.
However, if a patient or injured person is near an emergency department and the condition is critical, they can be taken directly to the facility without waiting for 111 dispatch.
Critical conditions include such things as heavy bleeding, broken major bones, bad burns, chest pain, issues related to breathing or consciousness, mental health emergencies, severe allergic reactions and injuries due to an accident (for example, a car crash).
If an injured or ill person is a long way from an emergency department, police advise people to call 111 for an ambulance.
Do injured/ill people need to pay to use ambulance services?
Yes - and it's not cheap.
For example, Hato Hone St John reports that each emergency deployment costs around $1000.
However, users of the service are not charged the full amount.
Citizens, residents or those with work visas exceeding two years are charged $125 per callout.
For ambulance calls responding to an injury, whether a patient pays depends on the timing the service is provided.
If the service is used within 24 hours of injury, Accident Compensation Corporation covers the cost.
If more than 24 hours have passed, the patient bears the cost.
It's worth noting that you might be charged a callout fee if someone else calls the ambulance on your behalf.
For overseas visitors or short-term visa holders who are not eligible for public healthcare, callout charges can be as high as $800.
How do emergency departments assess treatment needs?
Sometimes people question why they don't receive immediate treatment upon arrival at the emergency department.
Upon arrival, emergency departments use a triage scale to assess and prioritize patients based on urgency.
In New Zealand, emergency departments follow the Australian triage scale , which has five levels, with level one being the most critical and level five the least.
Level five includes non-urgent issues, sometimes even administrative matters (e.g. consultations, prescriptions), and wait times can be as long as two hours.
Level one includes life-threatening conditions that require immediate attention and take top priority.
Additionally, there is a distinction between "emergency care" and "urgent care".
Emergency care focuses on life-threatening conditions and often involves trauma cases (surgical).
Urgent care is for less critical medical issues, with some clinics equipped to provide this service.
How much does emergency care cost?
How much one pays to receive emergency care depends on whether one qualifies for public healthcare.
National health services directory Healthpoint says emergency care fees for short-term visa holders start at $566.72 per visit. Stays exceeding 10 hours will cost short-term visa holders at least $1768.47.
Additional charges may also apply depending on the treatment provided, Healthpoint says.
- Interpretation services: from $86.02
- CT scans: from $1156.21
- Cardiac monitoring: $159.39 per hour
- Blood transfusion: $347.86 per unit
Emergency departments prioritize saving lives.
Medical staff cannot verify a patient's public healthcare status during treatment.
If a patient is ineligible, they will receive an invoice for the medical care they receive after treatment.
What pediatric emergency departments for children exist?
Starship Hospital in Auckland provides a dedicated pediatric emergency department for children aged 0-14, although sometimes older teenagers with acute conditions may also be treated there.
In other cities, larger hospitals usually have specialized pediatric services within their individual emergency departments.
What options are available for emergency dental treatment?
Emergency dental care is available, but not through an emergency department in most cases.
Instead, dental clinics handle this type of care separately.
Many offer after-hours emergency services, but routine dental treatment should be arranged with your regular dentist.
However, if an accident causes a dental, oral, or gum injury, the injury may be treated during a visit to a regular emergency department.
What translation services are available for non-English speakers?
Some translation services are available at many hospitals nationwide.
Upon arrival at a hospital, patients or injured people should ask staff to request assistance from an interpreter or arrange translation services online or by phone.
What should a person do if they are ill or injured but do not need emergency care?
If a person is ill or injured but does not need emergency care, Health New Zealand advises them to visit an urgent care clinic or consult their GP at the earliest appointment.
They can also contact Healthline for free advice on 0800 611 116.
Additionally, a pharmacy can provide advice and support for minor injuries.
