New Clinics Open in Dunedin and Hutt Valley to Provide 24/7 Urgent Care

Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say the upgrades will ease pressure on hospitals and make healthcare more accessible for families and rural communities.

More New Zealanders will soon be able to access urgent medical care around the clock, with new and expanded services set to open before Christmas. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say the upgrades will ease pressure on hospitals and make healthcare more accessible for families and rural communities.

The new services are part of the Government’s $164 million four-year investment to expand urgent and after-hours healthcare nationwide. The goal is to ensure that 98% of New Zealanders can reach urgent care within one hour of their home, reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and improving wait times.

---

New and Expanded Services Coming Online

• Dunedin: From 17 December, Dunedin Urgent Doctors and Accident Centre will provide full 24/7 urgent care, meaning residents no longer need to rely solely on the hospital emergency department outside standard hours.

• Hutt Valley: From 1 December, the Lower Hutt After-Hours Medical Centre will expand to offer weekday daytime urgent care, supported by:

  • Seven consulting rooms

  • Onsite triage unit

  • Co-located pharmacy and radiology services

• Counties Manukau: Announcements on new extended-hour and 24/7 services are expected shortly.

In addition, work is progressing to improve urgent care access in six rural and remote communities, helping close long-standing healthcare gaps.

---

Affordable Care for Families

The expanded services will apply standardised low-cost charges:

• Free for children under 14 after 3pm

• Subsidies available for Community Services Card holders

• Fees will be capped nationally to ensure affordability and consistency across regions.

“All New Zealanders deserve timely, affordable care — not long waits or long drives,” Minister Brown said. “This is about delivering a system that works for patients, not bureaucracy.”

---

What’s Coming in 2026

Several additional service expansions are planned for rollout next year, including:

• 24/7 urgent care in Tauranga

• Daytime urgent care added to after-hours services in Invercargill and Timaru

• A national framework for consistent fees and subsidy settings

The Government says these changes will be shaped in partnership with communities, providers, and health networks to ensure the system meets real local demand.

---

Boost for Rural Communities

Associate Minister Matt Doocey says rural health is a core focus.

Pilot programmes already underway include:

• On-call pharmacy access expanded to Tūrangi and Twizel

• Point of Care Ultrasound and testing available in clinics to reduce unnecessary hospital transfers

• Primary and extended care paramedics deployed in Golden Bay and Aotea / Great Barrier Island

“These upgrades mean rural New Zealanders won’t be left behind,” Doocey said. “People in remote areas should have confidence that urgent care is available when and where they need it — not hours away.”