Source: New Zealand Government
More New Zealanders will be able to access urgent care 24/7 before Christmas, with new and expanded services opening in Dunedin and Hutt Valley, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
“These changes mean more Kiwis will be able to get the urgent care they need without needing to go to the emergency department unless it’s a real emergency,” Mr Brown said.
“This is about building a system that’s easier to access, more connected, and works better for patients.”
The expanded services are part of the Government’s $164 million investment over four years to improve urgent and after-hours care, following the launch of the Urgent Care and After-Hours Framework in May. The goal is to ensure 98 per cent of New Zealanders can access urgent care within one hour of home.
New services opening soon:
- Dunedin: A new 24/7 urgent care service will open at Dunedin Urgent Doctors and Accident Centre from 17 December, giving locals round-the-clock access to urgent care.
- Hutt Valley: From 1 December, the Lower Hutt After-Hours Medical Centre will begin offering weekday daytime urgent care, in addition to its after-hours service. The expanded clinic includes seven consulting rooms, triage space, and co-located pharmacy and radiology.
- Counties Manukau: Further updates on extended hours and 24/7 services in the region will be shared soon.
- Health New Zealand is also progressing urgent care improvements in six rural and remote locations.
All services will be available to patients eligible for publicly funded healthcare. Children under 14 will be free after 3pm, with subsidies for Community Services Card holders. Co-payments will be capped to keep costs fair and consistent.
“We’re making good progress, but we’re just getting started. More communities will benefit from improved urgent care access over the next two years.”
Next year will see:
- 24/7 urgent care in Tauranga.
- Extended urgent care hours in Invercargill and Timaru, adding daytime urgent care to current after-hours services.
- Development of a more consistent national approach to fees and subsidies to improve affordability and predictability, while recognising local differences.
“We’ll keep working with PHOs, providers and communities to ensure services meet local needs while delivering on our national goal of timely, accessible care,” Mr Brown says.
Mr Doocey says this will make a real difference for our rural communities.
“Health New Zealand is rolling out urgent-care improvements in six rural and remote locations. These trials will help shape the design of rural health services for up to 70 rural locations over the next two years,” Mr Doocey says.
Some improvements already delivered include:
- On-call pharmacy services launched in Tūrangi (3 Nov) and Twizel (1 Dec), improving after-hours access to medicines.
- 16 clinicians trained in Point of Care Ultrasound, reducing the need for urgent hospital transfers.
- Point of Care Testing pilots underway in six clinics, improving urgent diagnostics and reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
- Primary care paramedic role established on Aotea / Great Barrier Island, strengthening local care.
- Extended care paramedic in Golden Bay improving urgent and acute care capacity.
“These changes ensure rural New Zealanders have access to timely, quality, and reliable care close to home.”
