The problem of people turning up to emergency departments with non-emergencies may have been overstated

Medical experts writing in today's New Zealand Medical Journal says the pressure hospital EDs are under isn't due to too many people turning up unnecessarily.

They say it's mostly due to an actual increase in urgent cases.

One of the experts -- Te Whatu Ora Acute Care Clinical Lead Peter Jones -- says we have low numbers of presentations per head of population, compared with other countries.

He says our issue is mainly getting the people that should be there to the right place, to the care they need.