New data released today has shown thousands of Kiwis stayed connected to health services over the Christmas 2025 holiday period thanks to the Government’s new Online GP Care service, with 11,800 online consultations completed.
Health Minister, Simeon Brown said Online GP Care ensures Kiwis can still get timely medical advice and treatment wherever they are.
Since launching in May last year, the service has delivered over 60,600 online GP consultations to nearly 50,000 people, showing strong and sustained demand for flexible healthcare across the country:
- More than 85% of consultations resulted in treatment being provided;
- Nearly 72% of users booked because they couldn’t get a timely in-person appointment. Other reasons included rural location, work and family commitments, and avoiding exposure to infectious illness;
- Use was highest among people aged 30-49 years;
- 59.5% of users were women and 40.2% were men;
- Māori made up 14.2% of users, Pacific Peoples 6.9%, and Asian communities 10.1%.
“The service is reaching people in both urban and rural communities across the North and South Islands,” Mr Brown says.
To make access even easier, a new Next Available Appointment feature allows people to see the earliest appointment across all online GP providers and compare costs based on age and Community Services Card status.
The feature includes direct booking links and is an early step ahead of a more comprehensive booking system planned for mid-2026.
Health New Zealand is also exploring how Online GP Care can be used in more targeted ways, including clinician-to-clinician support in rest homes, community pharmacies, urgent care pathways, and other high-need services.
“Our focus is on ensuring New Zealanders can access healthcare when they need it. Online GP Care is already supporting thousands of people, and it is an important part of our plan to deliver a more accessible and responsive health system that puts patients at the centre,” Mr Brown says.
