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A public health expert says the damning report into Middlemore Hospital's Emergency department is a failure of primary care in South Auckland.
The independent review of Middlemore was carried out after the death of a woman who left the hospital's overcrowded emergency department without being seen and later died of a brain haemorrage.
The department has been described as "dysfunctional, overcrowded and unsafe".
Sir Collin Tukuitonga said it was surprising there had not been more deaths, but credits the staff who have worked under immense pressure.
He spoke with Māni Dunlop