27 February 2026
Wyn
[FYI request #33793 email]
Tēnā koe Wyn
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00201023
Thank you for your email on 21 February 2026, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA):
I request, under the Official Information Act 1982, copies of:
1. Any standards, statements or guidance currently issued by the Medical Council of New
Zealand that relate to:
▪
doctors’ responsibilities to ensure safe triage of patients.
▪
timeframes within which patients presenting for urgent care should be
clinically assessed.
▪
when it is acceptable to decline to see a patient at an urgent care clinic and
direct them back to their enrolled GP.
2. Any relevant sections of Good Medical Practice and any supplementary statements that
specifically mention triage, urgent care, or management of walk-in patients.
3. (RNZCGP) Any standards or “Aiming for Excellence” indicators that apply to after-hours
or urgent care style general practice, particularly around triage systems and response
to urgent presentations.
Response
Health NZ holds the same information that is publicly available on the Medical Council of New
Zealand (MCNZ) and Royal New Zealand Col ege of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) website. As
such we refer you to these websites:
•
Our Standards | Medical Council
•
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners | RNZCGP
You may wish to consider contacting the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) and Royal New
Zealand Col ege of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) if you have a specific query about this
information. You can do this through their websites: MCNZ
: [email address] and
RNZCGP:
RNZCGP Contact us | RNZCGP.
Please note these agencies are not subject to the OIA; however, they may choose to consider and
respond to your query.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Head of Government Services
Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora
