Hutt Hospital sprang leaks earlier this year, prompting nurses to complain in June to Kaitiaki of sizzling electrical sockets and water-catching wheelie bins in the entrance foyer.
The four NZNO delegates, who met Laban, also said the hospital was too small for the Hutt Valley and needed urgent expansion.
“We can’t go on like this. Regardless of the building’s disrepair, the hospital is also just too small for the population of the Hutt Valley,” one of the nurses told Kaitiaki.
The nurse said sometimes patients were admitted to a lazy boy chair rather than a bed, or treatment rooms or day rooms.
“It gets that bad – they’re being kept in the hallways of ED for up to 10 hours sometimes.”
She said staff and patients deserved better. “There are no beds – almost every single day there are no beds available. We’re struggling not only every winter, but every summer now – and it’s just getting worse.”
The nurse was concerned about the future for the city and wanted to ensure there was some long-term planning in place.
“If so, it needs to be relayed to the people working on the floor of the hospital so we have some peace of mind.”
In June, nurses revealed water had soaked through walls, around windows and through ceiling panels around the hospital — leaks spotted everywhere from the intensive care unit to the operating theatre entrance, to public corridors.
People heading to the fractures clinic faced leaks in the corridor.
Laban told the visiting nurses he was aware of long-standing building problems and promised nurses he would meet Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) management responsible for the infrastructure funding, she said.
In a written statement to Kaitiaki after the meeting, Laban said he had listened to the issues around the hospital.
“While I naturally want what’s best for locals, and those in the wider Wellington region, the responsibility lies with the Government of the day to fund and make improvements to the hospital. I will advocate for that in my dealings with MPs of all persuasions.”
HNZ Capital Coast & Hutt Valley interim group director of operations Michelle Sutherland confirmed the lazy boy chair usage.
“During periods of high hospital occupancy, patients awaiting admission may spend a short time in a lazy boy chair while inpatient beds become available.”
HNZ worked to minimise delays and avoid extended waits whenever possible, she said.
‘There are no beds – almost every single day there are no beds available.’
Meanwhile HNZ central regional director of infrastructure Steve Crombie said leaks and related building faults were investigated and repaired where possible.
“Safety and electrical assessments were completed, and targeted remediation work was undertaken to reduce the risk of recurrence.” HNZ was progressing roofing repairs and replacements across the hospital, including planned roof renewals, he said.
Asked by Kaitiaki about potential expansion, Crombie said the hospital was scheduled for redevelopment in the health infrastructure plan — but confirmed to Kaitiaki that this was only seismic replacement work.
HNZ continued to “review capacity requirements across the region to ensure hospital services can meet current and future demand”, he said.
Longer term weathertightness and roof replacement works were being considered through HNZ’s national asset remediation programme.
Work is currently underway on an expanded replacement for the hospital’s acute mental health unit Te Whare Ahuru — largely underwritten with a $50 million donation by property developer Sir Mark Dunajtschik.
Hutt’s future population
In the hospital catchment, Hutt City has a population of about 114,200. In 2025 its council expected it would grow by another 40,000 in the next 30 years. Upper Hutt currently has about 47,400 people.