Vanessa Thornton
Morning Report Essentials for Monday 18 August 2025
In today's episode, there's been a chorus of voices calling for the government to take action to help pull Auckland out of its economic slump; New Zealand Police are facing stiff competition across… Audio
Health NZ on busy winter season for Auckland hospitals
Auckland emergency department nurses say this winter is the busiest they've seen. Health NZ Northern acting deputy chief executive Dr Vanessa Thornton spoke to Corin Dann. Audio
Winter illnesses impacting wait times at Auckland hospitals
Winter illness is hitting Auckland's hospitals hard - with full wards and long wait times at emergency departments. Health NZ Northern acting deputy chief executive Vanessa Thornton spoke to Corin… Audio
Middlemore Hospital flu presentations four times higher than 2019 - Clinical director
Middlemore Hospital is dealing with four times the number of people presenting with the flu this winter, compared to pre-pandemic in 2019.
Clinical director Vanessa Thornton told Morning Report it… Audio
Covid-19: Nurse claims hospitals ill prepared
An Auckland emergency nurse says she and her colleagues can feel a tsunami of Covid-19 cases coming and the hospitals are not prepared.
The nurse, who is a union delegate at one of the city's… Audio
Covid-19: Preparations underway for surging cases
Middlemore Hospital is planning to have a tent set up to triage Covid patients as early as next week, as Auckland braces for a surge in cases.
Daily case numbers are expected to double with in a… Audio
South Akld trials free health visits to keep people out of ED
Counties Manukau is running a trial to keep the least sick patients out of the Emergency Department, by offering free appointments at other clinics. The pilot will run from today until the end of the… Audio
NZ winter looms, emergency departments struggle
Medical staff at emergency departments around New Zealand have been stretched to their limits after record high patient admissions over the summer. Now they're worried about what winter will bring as… Audio
DHB defends 5-hour wait for treatment
Dr Vanessa Thornton, the Acting Medical Officer of Health at Counties Manukau District Health Board, says the DHB does the best it can with what it's given. Video, Audio
