New emergency department for Wellington Regional Hospital

Wellington Regional Hospital is set for a major upgrade, with a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces to be delivered as part of the Government’s $1 billion Budget 2025 hospital infrastructure investment.

The Budget 2025 announcement, by Health Minister Simeon Brown last week, enables Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley to continue work on key infrastructure projects.

It ensures our district's three hospitals will have what they require to deliver high quality care and also means we are able to adapt to meet ongoing changing health needs.

"This announcement will help us complete a major reconfiguration of departments within our existing hospital buildings,” says Jamie Duncan, Group Director Operations, Health New Zealand – Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley. “The existing Te Pae Tiaki Wellington Emergency Department and acute services spaces at our hospital are no longer fit-for-purpose and do not support the delivery of quality and equitable patient care.

"The work means we will be relocating and expanding our emergency department, as well as expanding our adult inpatient beds and a range of acute services, including the Medical Assessment and Planning, Surgical Assessment and Planning, and Intensive Care units.

"We're delighted this ongoing work has been funded and we'll be able to deliver exceptional spaces and services for our patients, communities and staff.”

This work is a complex project made up of 14 sub-projects and will be delivered over a number of years.

“These upgrades are essential to ensure Wellington Hospital can deliver timely, high-quality care now and into the future,” Mr Brown says.

“They’ll relieve pressure on services, improve patient flow and support modern models of care, while also creating a better working environment for frontline staff.”

“This project is about future-proofing Wellington’s emergency care – ensuring that as demand grows, the system is ready to meet it.”

More information about the projects underway across our district is available on Infrastructure and Investment Projects page.

Wellington Regional - Infrastructure and Investment Projects

As well as key projects, Health New Zealand is investing in infrastructure across the country.

Health NZ Infrastructure and Investment

Hon Simeon Brown’s media release: 

New emergency department for Wellington Regional Hospital (external link)