Expanding telehealth services and free pharmacy consultations are among 24 initiatives the government hopes will reduce pressure on the health system this winter.

It comes after steadily declining performance for shorter hospital stays, with Accident and Emergency wait times last winter being the worst on record.

The initiatives are wide-ranging but broadly aim to redirect unnecessary demand on hospitals to care in the community.

The plan involves rolling out local innovations more widely, with the government emphasising the health reforms as a way of scaling these up across the country.

All but one of the 24 initiatives have already been tested locally, and will continue to be delivered locally but will be expanded to other areas - in some cases nationally.

• 1. Using telehealth to support primary care
• 2. Clinical telehealth support for ambulance and paramedics
• 3. Remote patient monitoring prototype
• 4. Pharmacies to treat minor ailments
• 5. Community radiology services
• 6. Comprehensive primary care teams
• 7. Primary options for acute care
• 8. More accessible after hours and medical care
• 9. Initiatives to support aged residential care
• 10. Needs assessments occur appropriately and do not delay patients
• 11. Community allied health rapid response services
• 12. Hospital in the home
• 13. Rapid national data automation project
• 14. Regional and national escalation pathways
• 15. Mental health support to EDs
• 16. Maintaining planned care capacity
• 17. Bivalent Covid-19 boosters
• 18. Influenza vaccination campaign
• 19. Promote all childhood immunisations at convenient locations
• 20. International nurse and other health professional recruitment
• 21. Earn and learn programmes for health care assistants
• 22. Health staff influenza vaccinations
• 23. Right care right time communications campaign
• 24. Covid-19 specific surveillance, response and services

Health Minister Ayesha Verrall says it means resources will be more freely shared within regions, and encourage providers working together.

"This winter, a reformed health system is allowing us to identify successful local programmes and scale them across the country, tailoring any health care approach to meet unique needs.

"These initiatives being driven by Te Whatu Ora reinforce care at the right time, at the right place. They will deliver health services to people closer to where they live, ultimately alleviating additional pressure on our hospitals."

She says people should also take practical steps to help like ensuring vaccinations are up to date.

More to come...

-RNZ.