36 | Transforming Hutt Valley healthcare The hospital’s location next to Hutt Hospital created a vital link between public and private healthcare. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Boulcott Hospital: Choice Commercial When a small group of surgeons purchased the former Argentinian Embassy house in Lower Hutt in 1984, they had a vision that would transform healthcare in the Hutt Valley. Four decades later Boulcott Hospital stands as testament to what determination and community support can achieve. The timing of the original purchase was fortuitous, says Graham Dyer, chief executive officer of Boulcott Hospital, thanks to the hospital’s founding surgeons, doctors John Ainsworth, Chris Bossley, Howard Clentworth, Gary Duncan, Ray Fong, Richard Grenfell, Jeremy Hornibrook, Tony Marks and Andrew Simmonds. “It occurred during the Falklands War when Prime Minister Robert Muldoon had expelled the Argentinian ambassador. “The original group bought what was then the Argentinian Embassy house, next door to the hospital,” says Graham. “They converted that house into a clinic, built a theatre out in the back, and then over the years have bought neighbouring properties and expanded and expanded.” From those humble beginnings, with a tiny budget and a single surgical theatre, the hospital has grown exponentially. Remarkably, that first theatre they built remains in use today as Theatre 1, the only part of the original structure still standing. The hospital’s location next to Hutt Hospital was no accident. It created a vital link between public and private healthcare that continues to benefit the community, says Graham. “People just walk across the car park, rather than having to drive anywhere. It’s really convenient.” One of the original founders, Chris Bossley, who also happens to be Graeme’s father- inlaw, attended the recent opening of the hospital’s latest expansion providing a connection from the past to the future. Graham says the founding ethos remains central to the hospital’s identity today. What makes it special is it was built by surgeons for surgeons, and that ethos has continued all the way through. What makes this place special is the people who are here.” Now, after 41 years of providing surgical care in Lower Hutt, the hospital employs 115 professional healthcare and support team members. “We have a very high staff retention, very low turnover, and the staff come here and stay. The feedback from patients that we get is exceptional.” In 2022, New Zealand investment company Rangatira purchased Boulcott Hospital with the intention of long-term investment. In a move that honoured the hospital’s origins, it sold back 30% of the business to surgeons and doctors that operate there, ensuring the founding vision lives on. Graham says, as one of the original founders prepares to retire at age 78 at the end of November, marking the departure of the last remaining founder, Boulcott Hospital stands ready to serve future generations with the same dedication that characterised its beginning. RLB is proud to provide cost management expertise for this contemporary, sustainable health facility, supporting better outcomes for patients, practitioners and the Hutt Valley community. Boulcott Hospital A place of care reimagined, with two new state-of-the-art theatres, advanced technology and calming spaces designed to enhance patient wellbeing. Wellington T 04 384 9198 RLB.com Boulcott Hospital – Operating Theatres Redevelopment The Boulcott Hospital Operating Theatres 4 & 5 redevelopment delivers a major upgrade to surgical facilities within a fully operational private hospital. Engaged by CCG, Aquaheat New Zealand was responsible for the complete delivery of mechanical, medical gas, fire (Aquafire) and roofing (Classic Metal) services. Operating in a live hospital environment required meticulous planning and sequencing to ensure services remained active for patients and staff throughout construction. Replacement boilers and housing were prefabricated offsite and craned into position, allowing a seamless changeover from the old systems to the new. Aquaheat led full coordination of building services through a comprehensive 3D Revit model, ensuring precise integration and minimal disruption to hospital operations. The successful completion of this complex project highlights Aquaheat’s capability in delivering technically demanding healthcare upgrades by combining patient safety, engineering excellence, and programme certainty.
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