Auckland's North Shore Hospital has a 20-bed ward full of people, with no medical reason to be there.

It was created in May for medically discharged patients who still require lower-level help from places like an aged-care facility, who have nowhere appropriate to go.

Some stay for weeks, looked after by nurses and allied staff such as physiotherapists and social workers.

Sarah Dalton from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says it's a sign of the nation's inability to properly resource community-based care.

"We shouldn't just think about hospitals when we think about access to healthcare."

LISTEN ABOVE