The Health Minister says upcoming health reforms will allow struggling hospital departments to share the load.

Dunedin and Whangārei Hospital have reached capacity this week, with staff treating patients in crowded corridors and urging people to avoid emergency departments.

Andrew Little says the Government will announce a major overhaul of the health system next month.

He told Mike Hosking  it will be different to the current system, which doesn't allow DHBs to outsource care or pool their resources.

Little says if a hospital is struggling in one particular week or month, they should be able to send a patient to another hospital for their knee replacement.

The Health Minister says crowded emergency departments at hospitals are due to management issues, not poor funding.

Little says the responsibility may lie with District Health Boards and their existing processes.

"We have added more people to DHBs and emergency departments over the past few years.

"The Government put an extra $980 million a year into DHB operational funding in last year's budget."