People should get an oral health certificate from their dentist or dental specialist before getting their teeth whitened, the Health and Disability Commissioner says.

North Island hospitals are receiving Christchurch earthquake victims and plan to send specialists to help in the devastated city.

A medical recruitment company claims to have seen a 300 per cent rise in New Zealand doctors leaving to find better pay in Australia in the last year.

Parents are being warned that unimmunised children will have to stay away from school for up to two weeks if they come into contact with measles.

Paying overnight staff to sleep will cost more than $500 million over three years and changing the law may be considered, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

A spiralling shortage of doctors has sparked a warning of future "severe safety issues" in New Zealand hospitals, with predictions that patients could suffer from increasing medical mistakes and treatment delays without urgent action.

Bribed with a free breakfast, many people will be leaving their cars in the garage and choosing to cycle to work today for National Go By Bike Day.

Visible cigarette advertising displays will go within nine months following tobacco law changes, if public health officials get their way.

Parents of newborn babies are receiving conflicting messages about sleeping with their newborn babies.