Recruitment needs to ramp up as new data for heart health paints a grim picture

New research by heart health advocacy group Kia Manawanui Trust has found life-saving heart treatment depends on luck, postcode, and ethnicity, rather than clinical need.

It's also found New Zealand has just 32.8 cardiologists per million people, far below the Europe's median of 95.

Kia Manawanui Medical Director Sarah Fairley says there are staff shortages across all areas.

She says an aging workforce will see many specialists retiring within the next 5-10 years.