Nurse-Led Cystoscopy Service at Dunedin Boosts Cancer Care and Cuts Delays

A new nurse-led cystoscopy service at Dunedin Hospital is transforming bladder cancer care by ensuring patients receive timely follow-up procedures while easing pressure on hospital specialists. Health Minister Simeon Brown has praised the initiative as a model of innovation and efficiency in New Zealand’s health system.

Meeting a Lifelong Need for Cancer Patients

Bladder cancer patients require lifelong, regular surveillance cystoscopies—a procedure where a small camera examines the bladder to detect any recurrence of cancer. Missing or delaying these checks can have serious consequences for patient outcomes.

Since its launch in November 2024, Dunedin’s new service has:

• Seen 290 patients.

• Ensured all 150 patients on the planned surveillance programme received their procedures on time.

• Delivered 10 to 15 follow-up cystoscopies each week, overseen by two highly trained nurses.

Currently, about 65 percent of Dunedin’s cystoscopy follow-up patients are eligible for the nurse-led model, significantly reducing the risk of backlog.

Smarter Use of the Health Workforce

Before this service, delays were likely and hospitals often relied on additional specialist sessions, sometimes at costly locum rates. The new system frees up urologists to focus on first specialist assessments and complex surgical procedures, while nurses manage routine surveillance safely and effectively.

“This is a fantastic example of innovation in our health system,” Brown said. “It ensures patients are seen when they need to be, while freeing specialists to work where their expertise is most needed. That’s a win for patients and for the wider hospital system.”

Supporting Faster Cancer Treatment Targets

The initiative supports the Government’s faster cancer treatment target, which aims to reduce waiting times and improve outcomes. By ensuring patients get the right tests sooner, treatment can begin without unnecessary delays—critical for conditions where early intervention makes a major difference.

A Growing National Model

The Dunedin service builds on success in other regions. Similar nurse-led models are already established at Counties Manukau and Waitematā, where nurse practitioners conduct both diagnostic and surveillance cystoscopies. These models have shown that expanding the role of skilled nurses can safely increase access while improving efficiency.

Brown emphasised the importance of empowering frontline staff: “This initiative shows the value of our nursing workforce. By better using their expertise, we’re improving access to care, supporting specialists, and ensuring patients receive timely, high-quality treatment.”

Looking Ahead

If proven successful over the longer term, the Dunedin model could be expanded further across New Zealand, helping reduce regional disparities in access to cancer care and building resilience in the health system.

For bladder cancer patients and their families, the change already means greater peace of mind—knowing their ongoing monitoring is happening on schedule, without the stress of prolonged waiting times.