How long is the wait for surgery?

Median waits from specialist assessment to treatment were 158 days for hip replacement, 213 days for knee replacement, 120 days for cataract surgery (OECD, 2025).

What share of women get breast screening?

The share of women aged 50 to 69 screened for breast cancer through the national programme was 67.7% (OECD, 2025).

NZ health: waits, nurses and cancer care

Since Luxon's government took office

Planned surgery within 4 months: 63.4% (Jun 2023 qtr) to 72.6% (Jun 2026 qtr); up 9.2 points, better.
Cancer treatment within 31 days: 84.2% (Jun 2023 qtr) to 87.0% (Jun 2026 qtr); up 2.8 points, better.
Nurses licensed to practise: 65,419 (2022) to 85,462 (2025); up 20,043, better.

Luxon's government took office on 27 November 2023. These compare the last reporting period before the 14 October 2023 election with the latest period. Economic shocks, global conditions and earlier decisions also affect the figures. How we choose the periods.

More on health

Each topic combines its data, definitions, questions and downloads.

Waiting timesThe share waiting less than four months for elective treatment was 72.6% (Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Jun 2026 qtr).Cancer care87.0% received cancer treatment within 31 days of the decision to treat, up from 86.3% a year earlier (Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Jun 2026 qtr).NursesThe number of professionally active nurses reported to the OECD was 73,577 (OECD, 2025).

Every health target improved this year

None has reached its 2030 goal yet.

72.6%

Elective treatment: % waiting less than 4 months, Jun 2026 qtr. Check the full series.

Source: Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Health targets: 10 years of quarter four results.

New Zealand had 13.07 active nurses for every 1,000 people in 2024

Professionally active nurses, using the same OECD definition for every country. In 2024, the latest period all 4 comparison countries have. New Zealand's newer value is 13.83 (2025; per 1000 people).

In 2024, the latest period all 4 comparison countries have.

New ZealandShow government terms

New ZealandAustraliaCanadaUnited States

Show the figures

Period	New Zealand (per 1,000 people)	Australia (per 1,000 people)	Canada (per 1,000 people)	United States (per 1,000 people)
2024	13.07 per 1,000 people	14.82 per 1,000 people	11.19 per 1,000 people	12.59 per 1,000 people
2023	12.24 per 1,000 people	14.45 per 1,000 people	11.05 per 1,000 people	12.30 per 1,000 people
2022	12.23 per 1,000 people	14.11 per 1,000 people	11.13 per 1,000 people	12.03 per 1,000 people
2021	11.73 per 1,000 people	14.07 per 1,000 people	11.18 per 1,000 people	11.97 per 1,000 people
2020	11.37 per 1,000 people	13.44 per 1,000 people	10.99 per 1,000 people	11.83 per 1,000 people
2019	10.97 per 1,000 people	13.43 per 1,000 people	10.93 per 1,000 people	11.90 per 1,000 people
2018	10.94 per 1,000 people	13.21 per 1,000 people	10.87 per 1,000 people	11.82 per 1,000 people
2017	10.86 per 1,000 people	12.98 per 1,000 people	10.91 per 1,000 people	11.71 per 1,000 people
2016	10.95 per 1,000 people	12.89 per 1,000 people	10.97 per 1,000 people	11.58 per 1,000 people
2015	10.95 per 1,000 people	12.74 per 1,000 people	10.93 per 1,000 people	11.27 per 1,000 people
2014	10.83 per 1,000 people	12.67 per 1,000 people	10.83 per 1,000 people	11.15 per 1,000 people
2013	10.80 per 1,000 people	12.66 per 1,000 people	10.71 per 1,000 people	11.12 per 1,000 people
2012	10.76 per 1,000 people	12.76 per 1,000 people	10.53 per 1,000 people	11.13 per 1,000 people
2011	10.80 per 1,000 people	12.83 per 1,000 people	10.50 per 1,000 people	11.08 per 1,000 people
2010	10.89 per 1,000 people	No data	10.44 per 1,000 people	10.94 per 1,000 people
2009	10.36 per 1,000 people	12.76 per 1,000 people	10.36 per 1,000 people	10.80 per 1,000 people
2008	10.51 per 1,000 people	12.84 per 1,000 people	10.27 per 1,000 people	10.76 per 1,000 people
2007	9.92 per 1,000 people	12.64 per 1,000 people	10.12 per 1,000 people	10.58 per 1,000 people
2006	9.52 per 1,000 people	No data	10.01 per 1,000 people	10.52 per 1,000 people
2005	9.71 per 1,000 people	12.11 per 1,000 people	9.96 per 1,000 people	10.42 per 1,000 people

Full data: nurses international

Country comparison in 2024
Country	Value (per 1,000 people) in 2024
New Zealand	13.07 per 1,000 people
Australia	14.82 per 1,000 people
Canada	11.19 per 1,000 people
United States	12.59 per 1,000 people

2024New Zealand 13.07 per 1,000 peopleAustralia 14.82 per 1,000 peopleCanada 11.19 per 1,000 peopleUnited States 12.59 per 1,000 people

Move through time

Comparison period: 2024-12-31. Source: OECD, Health workforce: nurses.

Half of knee replacement patients wait more than 7 months in 2024

The knee replacement median was 218 days. In 2024, the latest period all 8 comparison countries have. New Zealand's newer value is 213 (2025; days).

New Zealand: knee replacement, median daysNew Zealand: hip replacement, median daysAustralia: knee replacement, median daysAustralia: hip replacement, median daysCanada: knee replacement, median daysCanada: hip replacement, median daysUnited Kingdom: knee replacement, median daysUnited Kingdom: hip replacement, median days

New Zealand: knee replacement, median days218 days

New Zealand: hip replacement, median days154 days

Australia: knee replacement, median days255 days

Australia: hip replacement, median days130 days

Canada: knee replacement, median days151 days

Canada: hip replacement, median days125 days

United Kingdom: knee replacement, median days133 days

United Kingdom: hip replacement, median days116 days

Show the figures

Period	New Zealand: knee replacement, median days (days)	New Zealand: hip replacement, median days (days)	Australia: knee replacement, median days (days)	Australia: hip replacement, median days (days)	Canada: knee replacement, median days (days)	Canada: hip replacement, median days (days)	United Kingdom: knee replacement, median days (days)	United Kingdom: hip replacement, median days (days)
2024	218 days	154 days	255 days	130 days	151 days	125 days	133 days	116 days
2023	223 days	163 days	265 days	135 days	161 days	131 days	145 days	129 days
2022	193 days	155 days	308 days	175 days	198 days	164 days	146 days	129 days
2021	127 days	112 days	293 days	153 days	159 days	134 days	138 days	122 days
2020	120 days	106 days	308 days	179 days	197 days	165 days	No data	No data
2019	106 days	99 days	223 days	120 days	121 days	106 days	No data	No data
2018	89 days	81 days	209 days	119 days	122 days	105 days	No data	No data
2017	75 days	73 days	198 days	119 days	129 days	105 days	No data	No data
2016	79 days	76 days	195 days	110 days	118 days	98 days	No data	No data
2015	78 days	76 days	188 days	114 days	110 days	93 days	No data	No data
2014	95 days	85 days	191 days	109 days	101 days	89 days	No data	No data
2013	112 days	98 days	194 days	106 days	105 days	88 days	No data	No data
2012	110 days	99 days	196 days	116 days	107 days	89 days	No data	No data
2011	97 days	90 days	184 days	116 days	108 days	90 days	No data	No data
2010	99 days	91 days	173 days	106 days	99 days	83 days	No data	No data
2009	84 days	82 days	179 days	115 days	94 days	79 days	No data	No data
2008	79 days	78 days	147 days	100 days	99 days	82 days	No data	No data
2007	77 days	77 days	160 days	107 days	No data	No data	No data	No data
2006	65 days	63 days	162 days	106 days	No data	No data	No data	No data
2005	43 days	44 days	178 days	111 days	No data	No data	No data	No data

Full data: elective surgery waiting times Full data: waiting times international

Country comparison in 2024
Country	knee replacement, median days (days) in 2024	hip replacement, median days (days) in 2024
New Zealand	218 days	154 days
Australia	255 days	130 days
Canada	151 days	125 days
United Kingdom	133 days	116 days

2024. Bars start at zero.

New Zealand: knee replacement, median days: 218 days

Comparison period: 2024-12-31. Source: OECD, Waiting times for elective surgery.

67.7% of women aged 50 to 69 had breast screening in 2025

Cervical screening, women 20–69: 75.3% in 2025. Bowel screening, people 50–74: 57.9% in 2024.

Breast screening, women 50–69Cervical screening, women 20–69Bowel screening, people 50–74

Breast screening, women 50–69202567.7%

Cervical screening, women 20–69202575.3%

Bowel screening, people 50–74202457.9%

Show the figures

Period	Breast screening, women 50–69 (%)
2025	67.7%
2024	69.5%
2023	68.2%
2022	66.1%
2021	64.7%
2020	68.0%
2019	71.6%
2018	72.2%
2017	71.7%
2016	71.9%
2015	71.9%
2014	71.8%
2013	71.2%
2012	70.8%
2011	70.0%
2010	68.6%
2009	66.1%
2008	63.5%
2007	61.8%
2006	60.1%

Full data: cancer screening

Bars start at zero.

Breast screening, women 50–69: 67.7% (2025)

Source: OECD, Cancer screening rates.

All health data

Each has its own chart, the full data table, definitions and downloads.

Avoidable deaths: NZ and other countries166 per 100,000 people (2020)Avoidable deaths in NZ166 per 100,000 people (2020)Cancer screening rates in NZ67.7% (2025)Waiting times for elective surgery in NZ158 days (2025)Health targets: cancer treatment, immunisation, ED and waiting times87.0% (Jun 2026 qtr)Nurses per 1,000 people: NZ and other countries13.83 per 1,000 people (2025)Nurses in New Zealand73,577 (2025)Breast screening rates: NZ and other countries67.7% (2025)Hip and knee surgery waiting times: NZ and other countries213 days (2025)

NZ health system statistics: missing data

New Zealand's avoidable death figures in the OECD data end in 2020, while other countries' run to 2024, so we do not compare them on this page.

Cancer medicine funding (Pharmac) is not yet included.

NZ health system statistics: official sources

The organisations and licences behind the published datasets in this section.