The Office of the Auditor General's quashed claims about Health New Zealand removing patients from waitlists in Nelson

Concerns were raised about its treatment of first specialist appointments by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists and the NZ Nurses Organisation.

The unions had suggested some patients were removed despite not having been seen by a specialist.

But an audit's found the Nelson Marlborough District set up a 'dummy clinic' while awaiting additional clinics.

Patients allocated to the dummy clinic were still on the first specialist appointment waitlist - and their referral date remained unchanged.