An advocate is concerned local communities are unable to access healthcare due to growing pressure on the public system.

Kaitiaki Hauora - "guardians of health" in te reo Māori - will host the first public meeting in the Save Our Public Healthcare Roady on Sunday.

Malcolm Mulholland and David Galler will travel from Bluff to Cape Reinga between October 4 and 17.

The tour will begin in Invercargill at 4.30pm on Sunday before heading to Gore, Dunedin, Timaru, Christchurch, Westport, Nelson, Lower Hutt, Masterton, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Napier, Gisborne, Tauranga, Whakatāne, Taupō, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Hamilton, Thames, Auckland, Dargaville, Whangārei and Kaitaia.

Mulholland told RNZ he hoped to hear from people about their local hospitals and access to healthcare, as well as what was happening to health services in their communities.

"There's been no shortage of concern around what is happening at the moment, and we want to hear first-hand what the experiences have been of different communities around the country."
While Mulholland hoped that politicians would listen to these, and develop policies to address them, ahead of the general election on November 7, he said that the group was not advocating for any particular outcome.

He wanted to ensure that local voices were heard in the wider national conversation.

"People are really concerned about the state of the public health system. They're worried about the level of funding and where that funding is being directed.

"They're worried about the creep of privatisation, and they're also worried about Māori not having a voice, especially when so many of our statistics will tell you that Māori are adversely affected when it comes to health."

Mulholland said up to 300 people had attended a public meeting in the lower North Island after six staff resigned from Pahīatua Medical Centre in Tararua, which almost 5000 patients had depended on.

"They're all very concerned about where they're going to go in order to be seen, in order for their health needs to be met."

While he was not sure how many would attend the roadshow, Mulholland said he would be happy with "just a few people".

"But if more come, that's even better."