Understanding How Your Appointment Information May Be Used
1st July 2026 | Back to News
Supporting Better Access to Primary Care
From 1 July 2026, Health New Zealand will collect limited appointment information from participating general practices as part of the Primary Care Health Target.
The goal is to help improve access to primary care and support the target of 80% of people being able to see a member of their primary care team within seven days of booking an appointment.
What Information Is Collected?
Information collected includes:
- When an appointment was booked
- When it took place
- Appointment length
- Whether it was with a doctor or nurse
- Basic enrolment information such as age, ethnicity, and enrolled practice
What Information Is NOT Collected?
No clinical information is collected, including:
- Clinical notes
- Reasons for your visit
- Diagnoses
- Test results
- Treatment information
- Details discussed during your appointment
How Is My Privacy Protected?
Health New Zealand uses strict privacy and security measures to protect information.
Published results:
- Are reported as grouped statistics and percentages
- Cannot identify individual patients
Access to detailed information is restricted to authorised personnel and approved purposes only.
How Will This Help?
The information helps Health New Zealand and general practices:
- Understand appointment wait times
- Identify areas where access can be improved
- Plan services where they are needed most
- Support fair access to primary healthcare
Can I Opt Out?
Individual patients cannot opt out of this national data collection. However, general practices may choose whether to participate.
Where Can I Learn More?
For more information, visit:
- Health New Zealand Health Targets: https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/our-health-system/health-targets
- Health New Zealand Primary Health Care Target Privacy Statement: https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/privacy/primary-care-health-target-privacy-information
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner: https://www.privacy.org.nz
Questions?
If you have questions about how your information is used, please contact : 0800 855 066 for the Health New Zealand Contact Centre (available Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.