RACS has begun advocating for three priority commitments in the lead up to the general election in November in Aotearoa. We asked the political parties contesting this election to make commitments in relation to: 

• Workforce – commit to planning, growing, and retaining a surgical workforce capable of meeting current and future need for safe, effective, and timely surgical care within an adequately resourced health system.
• Needs-based equitable healthcare – commit to making evidence-based decisions on the allocation of resources to address unmet need for surgical care whilst achieving needs-based equitable access to safe, effective, and timely surgery for our diverse communities.
•Accelerate investment in infrastructure – commit to planning and accelerating investment in better data, digital, physical, and sustainable infrastructure to support the public healthcare system so we can meet current and future demand for surgery.

These priorities are set out in the attached single page RACS Manifesto 2026, and Appendix. Responses from political parties are available here. 

RACS is now putting the public spotlight on the surgical priorities outlined in its election manifesto. The first in a series of media releases here introduced the Manifesto. The second release here focuses on the need to grow and retain the surgical workforce, including increasing training capacity and addressing workforce gaps in underserved communities. 

Further releases will highlight the importance of equitable access to surgery and the infrastructure needed to deliver care.