A warning about the risks as most blood cancer patients wait more than six months between diagnosis and stem cell transplant - around 10 weeks longer than optimal

Leukaemia and Blood Cancer Medical Director Peter Browett says it means people are needing extra cycles of chemotherapy, which increases the risk of relapse, or side effects including toxicity or infection.

The Auckland University Professor says it's taken a decade for this to develop, so it will take time to turn around.

He says the transplant programmes across the country have been speaking with Health New Zealand to develop a plan for further investment.