Grim New Data Shows 18,000 patients waiting longer than 42 days for CT or MRI Scans
18 September 2025
New data released by Health New Zealand this week shows that by June 2025 over 18,000 patients were waiting more than 42-days for CT or MRI scans. This includes 8724 patients waiting for a CT scan, including 2258 in Waitemata District, and 9347 patients waiting for an MRI scan, including 2784 in the Wellington region.
The 2025 Vote Health budget introduced two new metrics of performance for Health New Zealand under the Hospital and Specialist Services appropriation for 2025/26: requiring districts to scan and report 65% of patients within 42 days of referral for both MRI and CT scans.
The statistics were released under the Official Information Act to APEX, the union representing over 1500 Medical Imaging Technologists (MITs) and 350 sonographers. In August APEX released a report on HNZ’s radiology services, Broken Scanners, Exhausted Staff, painting a grim picture of the under resourcing of public radiology services.
This more recent OIA data shows 7 of 19 districts were not meeting requirements to scan and report over 65% of CT scans in May 2025.[1] It also shows 13 of 19 districts were not meeting requirements to scan and report over 65% of MRI scans in May 2025.
“Across New Zealand medical imaging technologists, clinicians and patients are worried about Health New Zealand’s lethargic response to the radiology crisis. Despite attempting to engage with senior managers of hospitals such as Queenstown, Wellington, Taranaki and North Shore to improve resourcing and support, we are not seeing prompt action to fix the radiology crisis,” said Dr Deborah Powell, APEX national secretary.
“Management tell us they are developing a plan, but no one has sought the input of our union, as representatives of the workforce.”
“We are seeing no additional resourcing being released to support medical imaging teams, while requests for support are being refused. It would be fair to say, many of our members now believe that senior managers do not understand the serious impact this crisis is having right now on medical imaging technologists or patients,” concluded Dr Powell.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Dr. Deborah Powell
APEX National Secretary
Phone: 021 614 040
Email: secretary@apex.org.nz
Health New Zealand OIA Data on CT and MRI Medical Imaging
CT Scans
CT (Computed tomography) scans create detailed cross-sectional images of a patient’s body and are used to detect and monitor conditions such as cancer, lung conditions such as emphysema, or vascular conditions such as monitoring aortic aneurysm.
As at 31 May 2025 8724 patients were waiting longer than 42 days for a CT scan, with 2258 at Waitemata, 2095 at Canterbury, 1192 at Capital and Coast, and 1136 at Bay of Plenty.
For patients requiring a CT, only Whanganui, West Coast, South Canterbury and Nelson Marlborough were above 90% for patients they did scan, and less than 65% of patients at seven districts had received their scan within 42 days.
| District | Patients referred, scanned and reported in May 2025 | Patients referred scanned and reported within 42 days in May 2025 | Percentage of patients referred, scanned and reported within 42 days |
| Whanganui | 256 | 250 | 98% |
| West Coast | 126 | 123 | 98% |
| South Canterbury | 182 | 171 | 94% |
| Nelson Marlborough | 537 | 491 | 91% |
| Southern | 1553 | 1374 | 88% |
| Canterbury | 1820 | 1581 | 87% |
| Wairarapa | 242 | 207 | 86% |
| Lakes | 319 | 272 | 85% |
| MidCentral | 513 | 423 | 82% |
| Hutt Valley | 371 | 279 | 75% |
| Capital and Coast | 374 | 271 | 72% |
| Tairawhiti | 163 | 108 | 66% |
| Waikato | 856 | 531 | 62% |
| Hawkes Bay | 294 | 162 | 55% |
| Auckland | 946 | 507 | 54% |
| Bay of Plenty | 735 | 372 | 51% |
| Counties Manukau | 1255 | 571 | 45% |
| Northland | 689 | 289 | 42% |
| Waitemata | 837 | 318 | 38% |
| Taranaki | ND | ND |
MRI Scans
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans are a medical imaging technique which assists with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, particularly those which affect soft tissues, such as joints, brains or abdomens.
As at 31 May 2025 9347 patients were waiting longer than 42 days for a MRI scan, with 1440 at Capital and Coast, 1344 at Hutt Valley, 1233 at Waitemata, and 1019 at Southern.
For patients requiring an MRI, only Bay of Plenty and Whanganui were above 90% for the patients they did scan, and less than 65% of patients in thirteen districts had received their scan within 42 days.
| District | Patients referred, scanned and reported in May 2025 | Patients referred scanned and reported within 42 days in May 2025 | Percentage of patients referred, scanned and reported within 42 days |
| Whanganui | 170 | 154 | 91% |
| Bay of Plenty | 587 | 526 | 90% |
| South Canterbury | 155 | 130 | 84% |
| Auckland | 759 | 557 | 73% |
| Canterbury | 1026 | 610 | 59% |
| Southern | 588 | 299 | 51% |
| Capital and Coast | 249 | 124 | 50% |
| Lakes | 222 | 110 | 50% |
| MidCentral | 317 | 156 | 49% |
| Counties Manukau | 779 | 378 | 49% |
| Tairawhiti | 83 | 38 | 46% |
| Nelson Marlborough | 194 | 88 | 45% |
| Waikato | 745 | 320 | 43% |
| Hutt Valley | 291 | 106 | 36% |
| Northland | 280 | 99 | 35% |
| Hawkes Bay | 277 | 96 | 35% |
| Waitemata | 904 | 187 | 21% |
| Taranaki | ND | ND | |
| Wairarapa | 0 | 0 | |
| West Coast | 0 | 0 |