The Government has announced it will deliver 140 new hospital beds to five of the country's busiest hospitals next year.
The five new rapid build wards – at Middlemore, Waikato, Wellington Regional, Nelson, and Hawke’s Bay hospitals – are expected to be completed and operational by the second half of 2026.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the investment was about "delivering practical solutions to meet demand".
"As part of Budget 2025, we expected to deliver at least three wards. A competitive procurement process has now allowed four wards to be delivered within the same funding, alongside the fifth ward at Hawke’s Bay Hospital announced in February.
"These new wards will make a real difference for both patients and staff. They will ease pressure on emergency departments, support faster admissions and discharges, and improve patient flow right across the hospital."
Brown said the wards would be constructed off-site and installed on hospital grounds.
Major rebuilds were currently underway for hospitals in Wellington and Nelson, as well as Whangārei and Dunedin.
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