Delays for specialist surgeries are further pressuring the hospital workforce - and putting patients at risk

District health board data shows thousand of Kiwis wait more than four-months for non-urgent care, which is below the national standard of care.

Some hospitals are operating above capacity to catch up.

The Nurses Organisation's Kate Weston says some people have stopped seeking treatment - which is making things worse.

She says the delays mean patients need more intensive care and usually have a longer recovery time.