It could take many years before 95-percent of patients can access health specialists within four months

Health New Zealand's revealed a marked decline in access to timely primary and hospital healthcare - in the past decade.

Numbers of people waiting more than four months to see a specialist - tripled between 2020 and 2023.

Chief clinical officer Richard Sullivan says about a hundred thousand people are on lists - and more are being referred.

He says Health NZ is focusing on all the patients waiting beyond 120 days - as well as those with the greatest clinical need.