Far North residents are feeling overlooked, with a lack of critical healthcare in the region

Kaitaia resident Elle Montgomery-McCloy has launched a petition urging the Government to expand Kaitaia Hospital to service all medical and emergency needs.

She started it, after her partner shattered his hip and he had to take the painful 160 kilometre trip to Whangarei Hospital by ambulance.

Montgomery-McCloy says it's not good enough, with more and more people moving into the area.

She says if we take away Whangarei Hospital, we have 58 beds across three other hospitals for our population.