Private surgical providers respond to increasing demand

SECTOR UPDATE - New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association

The private hospital sector is investing heavily in facilities, technology and staff to meet ever increasing demand for surgical services across New Zealand.

180 delegates from around New Zealand are attending the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association Annual Conference in Auckland this week.

NZPSHA Chief Executive Chris Roberts has this afternoon shared with Conference delegates initial findings from the annual member survey conducted by the association.

In the financial year ended 30 June 2025, total surgical discharges from NZPSHA members were 232,323. This was two thirds of all elective surgery carried out in New Zealand. NZPSHA members provided a full range of elective surgery, from complex neurosurgery and cardiothoracic surgery through to minor procedures.

The volume of patients treated was up 3.5% on the previous 12 months. Chris Roberts says this continues a long-running trend of steadily increasing demand.

“In 2017/18, our members managed 179,925 surgical discharges. 7 years on, that volume has increased by almost 30%.”

In response to the increasing demand, many private hospitals across the country have added new facilities or have plans to expand. They are also well ahead of the public sector in introducing new technologies like robotic surgery, which give better patient outcomes.

The number of private operating theatres increased by 11 in the past year, to 215. More patient rooms were added and there was a significant 11% increase in directly employed staff, to 5,308 FTE.

Almost half of the patients receiving surgery in private hospitals in the past year were funded through health insurance. 17% were funded by ACC and 13% by Health New Zealand.

The volume of outsourced patients from Health New Zealand increased by 843 or 2.8% compared to the previous year, to 30,539.

“Across the country outsourcing numbers were tracking well behind the previous year, until the Elective Boost announced by the Government saw a surge from April to June,” Chris says. 

The NZPSHA Conference is being held at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland. The Conference theme is Enhancing Productivity in Healthcare.

Source: New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association media release

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