Supporting the Neurological Alliance of New Zealand
Overview
The Neurological Alliance of New Zealand has launched a nationwide election campaign calling for urgent action on the country’s neurologist shortage. As a proud member of the Alliance, ANZMES is supporting this campaign to ensure every New Zealander living with a neurological condition can access timely, specialist care.
The campaign centres on one clear, practical ask: Train five. Keep five. New Zealand trains up to five neurologists each year, yet only funds around three public hospital roles. This mismatch means we lose specialists to private practice or overseas, even as demand for neurological care continues to rise.
Why this matters
Neurological conditions affect one in three New Zealanders — either through their own diagnosis or that of someone they love. Yet access to specialist care is already under severe pressure.
Key facts from the Alliance’s workforce analysis include:
- New Zealand has one adult neurologist for every 74,604 people, compared with one for every 41,000 in Australia and one for every 14,000 across other high‑income countries.
- In 2024, New Zealand had 83 neurologists, providing 67.3 FTEs, when around 98 were already needed.
- Demand is projected to grow to 122 neurologists by 2036.
- 80% of people with neurological conditions do not receive the regular specialist review they need.
- 22% of emergency department presentations are neurological.
These pressures are not abstract — they affect real people, whānau and communities. Delayed diagnosis, avoidable deterioration, increased disability, and higher long‑term costs are the predictable consequences of an under‑resourced workforce.
The Campaign Asks
The Neurological Alliance is calling on all political parties to commit to two straightforward actions:
1. Fund two additional public hospital neurology positions each year
This lifts the publicly funded intake from three to five — matching the number of neurologists New Zealand already trains. It ensures we keep the specialists we invest in, instead of losing them due to a lack of funded roles.
2. Develop a national neurological workforce strategy
New Zealand needs a planned approach to training, recruitment, retention, regional access, follow‑up care, and the needs of people living with chronic neurological conditions.
These commitments are practical, achievable, and urgently needed.
System Impacts of the Shortage
The workforce gap is already affecting care across the country:
- Clinically appropriate referrals are declined because there are too few neurologists and funded hours.
- People needing ongoing specialist review may be discharged back to general practice after a single appointment.
- Follow‑up capacity is far below what chronic neurological disease requires — Health NZ reports a 1:1 ratio of first specialist assessments to follow‑ups, when around six follow‑ups per first assessment would be expected.
- Emergency departments and GPs carry increasing pressure as people seek care that should be provided by specialists.
Earlier access to neurologists improves diagnosis, treatment, and long‑term outcomes. The current system cannot deliver this without additional workforce investment.
How ANZMES is Supporting the Campaign
As a member of the Neurological Alliance, ANZMES is:
- Sharing the campaign’s key messages with our community
- Providing the approved campaign letters for supporters to send to MPs and candidates
- Publishing social media content aligned with the Alliance’s messaging
- Engaging with political leaders to advocate for the Train Five. Keep Five commitments
- Encouraging our members, supporters, and wider networks to take action
This page serves as a central hub for our community to understand the campaign, access resources, and participate.
How You Can Help
Your voice matters. You can support the campaign by:
- Sending the supporter letter to your local MP or candidates: Word Template
- Sharing campaign posts from our Facebook and LinkedIn page on your social media
- Talking with friends, whānau and colleagues about the importance of neurological care
- Encouraging others to learn about the campaign and take action
A Collective Effort
The Train Five. Keep Five campaign is a united call from more than 20 neurological organisations across Aotearoa. Together, we represent the 1.5 million New Zealanders living with neurological conditions — and together, we are asking political leaders to act.
This election year, we invite all members and supporters to stand with us. A stronger neurological workforce means better care, fewer hospital admissions, reduced disability, and lives saved.
Check out the social media campaign on ANZMES Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
If you would like to learn more about the research these neurological statistics are based on, scan the QR code below.
