Calls for more investment into acute patients, after high admission numbers at Christchurch Hospital have led to surgeries being deferred

The cause is being pinned to a combination of increased patient presentations in winter, and staff illnesses.... Canterbury DHB has more than 170 staff off with Covid-19 currently.

College for Emergency Medicine immediate past president John Bonning says some messaging has been unclear, and patients turning up with minor conditions aren't the issue.

He says it's about the resources available to deal with those patients who are most sick.