RACS says these findings reinforce the need for evidence-based decisions about healthcare funding and workforce planning to address inequities in access to care.
Dr John Mutu-Grigg, Chair of the RACS Māori Health Advisory Group, says equitable healthcare requires investment that reflects the different needs of communities.
“Equity doesn’t mean treating every community the same. It means understanding where the need is greatest and directing resources accordingly, so everyone has a fair opportunity to access the healthcare they need.”
RACS highlighted evidence that Māori and Pacific medical graduates are more likely than the wider graduate cohort to remain practising in Aotearoa New Zealand ten years after graduation and to work with regional, rural, Māori and Pacific communities.
RACS says a medical workforce that better reflects the diversity of Aotearoa’s population is an important part of addressing health inequities. Research cited by the College also points to the value of cultural concordance between patients and clinicians in strengthening communication, trust and health outcomes.
Dr Mutu-Grigg says reliable data on ethnicity and rurality are also essential to identifying unmet need and informing decisions about where resources should go.
“We need to use the evidence we already have, improve the data available to us, and invest in a workforce that can meet the needs of all our communities.”
RACS is asking political parties to commit to evidence-based resource allocation that addresses unmet need for surgery and supports equitable access to safe, effective and timely care for Māori, Pacific, rural and other underserved communities.
The call is part of RACS’ 2026 election priorities, which also focus on growing and retaining the surgical workforce and investing in the infrastructure needed to deliver surgery.
