More than 185,000 nursing shifts were understaffed in 2025 exposing National's failure to properly staff and fund the health system.

“National is leaving nurses stretched and patients waiting, while hundreds of nursing graduates are left without jobs under a hiring freeze,” Labour health spokesperson Dr Ayesha Verrall said.

"National has increased the nursing workforce by just 54 in two years, and in many parts of the country that has fallen. National’s broken promise was to put more nurses on the frontline.

“Our health system cannot afford another three years of National.

“There are trained nurses ready to work but are locked out of jobs, hospitals crying out for staff, and patients waiting longer, yet National has chosen to underfund the system and leave nurses stretched.

“Simeon Brown cannot have it both ways. He cannot claim the health system is improving while 185,000 shifts go understaffed and qualified nurses are left without jobs.

“New Zealanders need to know, if they’re waiting for care in a public hospital, it’s National’s fault they’re waiting so long,” Dr Ayesha Verrall said.