The Ministry of Health has warned the Auditor-General that emergency preparedness is at risk

The Office of the Auditor General reviewed the Ministry's critical clinical supplies during the early stages of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

It found gaps in emergency pandemic plans, inadequate systems for distributing PPE, and made 10 recommendations the Ministry accepted.

A letter from the Auditor General to the health select committee now reveals there has been some progress - and the system is better positioned.

But it finds staff and budget pressures have delayed the recommendations, and warns there is a risk emergency preparedness may be de-prioritised.