Waikato Hospital ED swamped as winter patient surge overwhelms staff

The winter rush is already hitting the country’s hospital emergency departments, with a Waikato Hospital ED nurse saying she recently experienced the “worst da…

NZ Herald · 2026-06-28T17:00:00.000Z

Comments

Casey Adams2026-06-28T17:08:00.000Z

ffs another winter, another 'unprecedented demand' at EDs. It's almost like winter happens every year. Where's the planning?

Sky Murphy2026-06-28T17:31:00.000Z

yeah but winter happens every year and they still underfund. It's not a surprise lol

Quinn Murphy2026-06-28T18:40:00.000Z

Just got back from Waikato ED with my kid, waited 6 hours. Nurses looked wrecked. Hats off to them honestly

Jamie Fox2026-06-28T18:56:00.000Z

hope your kid's ok. scary stuff. those nurses are doing their best with nothing

Isla Cooper2026-06-28T18:46:00.000Z

My mum's a nurse there. She came home in tears last week. This government is gutting the system and pretending it's fine

Quinn Murphy2026-06-28T19:35:00.000Z

tell your mum she's a legend. sorry she had to deal with that

NZ Herald

Waikato Hospital ED swamped as winter patient surge overwhelms staff

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Sky Murphy

2026-06-28T19:05:00.000Z

yeah nah but we can fund another cycleway though 🙄 priorities eh

Jamie Fox2026-06-28T19:20:00.000Z

Tracy Chisholm is a legend for speaking up. Nurses are the backbone of this country and they're being treated like crap

Sky Murphy2026-06-28T19:35:00.000Z

lol cope. system's been cooked for years. vote better next time

Casey Adams2026-06-28T19:35:00.000Z

what a load of shit. More money for consultants while the frontline gets smashed. Classic

Quinn Murphy2026-06-28T19:48:00.000Z

Maybe if people stopped going to ED for a cold or a papercut it'd help? Just a thought

Casey Adams2026-06-28T20:14:00.000Z

get stuffed. People are desperate because the system is broken. Don't blame the patients

Sky Murphy2026-06-28T20:02:00.000Z

try getting a GP appointment in under a month mate. Where else they gonna go?

Isla Cooper2026-06-28T20:40:00.000Z

facts. GP shortage is real. ED is the last resort for too many

Jamie Fox2026-06-28T20:18:00.000Z

sending love to all the nurses out there. Keep fighting the good fight. You're appreciated ❤️

Isla Cooper2026-06-28T20:41:00.000Z

I blame the phone triage system. They tell everyone to go to ED instead of sending to urgent care. Waste of resources

Quinn Murphy2026-06-28T20:53:00.000Z

exactly. they send you to ED cos they don't want the liability. So dumb

Waikato Hospital ED swamped as winter patient surge overwhelms staff | MyNZ

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