There could be up to 10 percent of the population with unaccounted for health needs

An editorial in the latest Medical Journal raises questions about why we're not appropriately measuring Unmet Secondary Elective Healthcare Need.

That's otherwise known as non-urgent hospital treatment.

But Otago Business School Dean, Professor Robin Gauld says he doesn't think the lack of measuring is deliberate.

He says over the years the Government and our Health Ministry has just not been focused on the issue.