New Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centre Opens to Improve Access to Timely Care

The Lower Hutt community has welcomed a significant upgrade in urgent healthcare services with the official opening of the new Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centre on Connolly Street. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Hutt South MP Chris Bishop marked the occasion, highlighting the facility’s pivotal role in easing pressure on hospital emergency departments and improving access to timely care.

Addressing a Critical Healthcare Gap in Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt has long been the only metropolitan area in New Zealand without a dedicated daytime urgent care service, creating challenges for residents needing prompt, non-emergency treatment. Recognizing this, the Government identified Lower Hutt as a priority location for urgent care expansion in its May 2024 health strategy.

Minister Brown emphasized the importance of the new centre: “Urgent care and after-hours services help ease pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing better local options and faster access to essential treatments like diagnostics and urgent medicines.”

A Modern Facility Designed for Growth and Convenience

The new medical centre replaces the former High Street location, which was too small to meet growing demand. By leasing the former Te Awakairangi Birthing Unit building, which closed in 2021, the centre preserves a valuable health asset while significantly enhancing service capacity.

This purpose-built facility features seven consulting rooms, two triage rooms, a plaster and phlebotomy room, a carer’s room, and a spacious waiting area designed to accommodate a growing patient population. Co-located radiology services allow patients to access timely imaging and diagnostics for injuries such as fractures without needing to visit the emergency department.

Additionally, onsite pharmacy access enables urgent medicines to be dispensed immediately, streamlining patient care and reducing delays.

Introducing Daytime Urgent Care from December 2025

One of the centre’s most notable innovations is its ability to support a staged rollout of a daytime urgent care service, planned to begin in December 2025. This expansion will complement existing after-hours care, providing seven-day-a-week urgent healthcare access for the Hutt community.

Minister Brown explained, “Once fully operational, the daytime service will build on the existing after-hours care, giving people access to timely care day and night, closer to home, without needing to wait or travel further for non-emergency treatment.”

Impact on the Community and Healthcare System

The new facility is expected to relieve pressure on the region’s hospital emergency departments by redirecting non-critical cases to more appropriate urgent care settings. This will reduce waiting times, improve patient outcomes, and make the healthcare system more efficient overall.

For residents, it means easier, faster access to care for minor injuries, illnesses, and diagnostic needs. The co-location with radiology and pharmacy services makes it a one-stop solution for many urgent health needs, promoting convenience and better continuity of care.

Government Commitment to Strengthening Health Services

The opening of the Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centre demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving health services across New Zealand. Minister Brown noted, “This is about making healthcare more accessible and responsive for the people of the Hutt, delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time. It’s a clear example of the Government delivering on its promise to improve health services right across the country.”

MP Chris Bishop echoed this sentiment, praising the new centre as a “major boost” for local healthcare and a vital resource for the growing community.