Ambulance callouts to homeless people in Auckland have nearly doubled over the past four years, according to Hato Hone St John.

The ambulance service attended 459 patients of "no fixed abode" in the most recent financial year, compared to 236 patients in 2022.

Hato Hone St John Auckland District Operations Manager Andrew Everiss said the increase "absolutely" concerned him.

"We are seeing an increase in the number of patients that we are attending of no fixed abode.

"It's come close to doubled."

The callouts were most commonly because the individual had been assaulted, collapsed or fallen unconscious.

Everiss said the ambulance service's data did not record details about the assaults: "That would be information for the police."

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Those who had fallen unconscious could have done so for a variety of reasons: general medical concern, collapse, a result of diabetes, drugs and alcohol, psychiatric reasons, as a result of trauma, or sleeping in the community.

He presented the figures at a recent meeting of Auckland central stakeholders, including business associations, police, Auckland Council, and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. It was chaired by Minister for Auckland Simon Watts.

Everiss said the increase in callouts involving homeless patients reflected the broader rise in demand across the ambulance service in Auckland and nationwide.

"Last winter, for example, we had our busiest month on record, with just under 70,000 calls for a month."

About 30 percent of that national workload was in Auckland.

Police have been approached for comment. Watts declined to comment.