Up to 400 patients have had their non-urgent operations deferred on Monday. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
The head of Health New Zealand says she sympathises with people missing out on surgery because of the public holiday to remember the Queen.
Between 350 and 400 patients have had non-urgent operations deferred because of Monday's commemoration.
Te Whatu Ora chief executive Fepulea'i Margie Apa said hospitals had worked hard to make sure as many people as possible could have surgery, but they also wanted to give staff the chance to have a break.
It was disappointing for deferred patients, and work was under way to have all of them quickly rescheduled, she said.
Many doctors and nurses would still work, to allow some planned care to happen, she said.
Nationwide, about 55 percent of procedures had to be rescheduled. All acute or emergency operations would still go ahead.
