What has evolved in NZ is a 2-tier healthcare system: with private hospitals and specialists offering good quality care and facilities - at a price out of reach of many NZers; and a public system at the point of collapse.
Example: in metro Wellington there are two good quality private hospitals, a specialist orthopaedic hospital about to open and a large public hospital.
Wait times at ED at the main public hospital are pushing 20 hours plus, radiology appts can be 6 months etc. At the private hospitals, radiology appts are available within a week with multiple slots.
If you can afford it, you can access decent healthcare - if you can't, you're consigned to a life of failing health #NZPol #healthcare