Fiona Ellis

A New Zealand Nurses Organisation delegate said staff were doing their best to cope with the ongoing crash, but warned that the lost services were essential.

It wasn't hackers behind Wednesday's wide-scale Waikato hospitals IT crash but the Health Minister and a union are at loggerheads over whether a staff cuts were behind the chaos.

His latest health problem, however, has been debilitatingly painful and has dragged on since March, with little traction from the disjointed medical system.

Dr Tonye Onyemelukwe is an urgent care doctor at Tui Medical Te Rapa, where the 24/7 clinic sees about 200 patients a day — double the summertime average.

Melissa Broussard grows "all sorts" of plants, from tomatoes and basil to pomelos and linen flax, and wanted to be sure they were safe to eat.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced plans for the hub while visiting the city on Wednesday afternoon.

This could lead to more people missing out on the care they need, Pinnacle Midlands Health Network CEO Justin Butcher said.

The 22-year-old is now packing to move to the United States to begin his PhD in the genetics of the global shark fin trade.

If it finds a deposit, the company says this will lead to “a huge economic boost” for the area's economy — but those in nearby Te Aroha are sceptical of the benefits.

Tīrau resident Marie McDonald said she had to chase Waikato Hospital for answers after she was given a stranger's gallbladder following major surgery