Need urgent care in Wellington but not sure whether to go to 111, hospital ED, Healthline, your usual GP, pharmacy, or Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre? This guide explains the walk-in service at 17 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, what to bring, when to visit, expected waiting-time issues, fees, x-ray, fracture clinic, pharmacy and parking.
The centre is also known as Wellington After Hours Medical Centre or WAMC. This is an independent guide, not the official website. For current capacity, fees, clinical instructions and urgent medical decisions, confirm directly with the centre or use official emergency pathways.
Emergency warning: In New Zealand, call 111 for life-threatening symptoms or ambulance, police or fire emergency help. For free non-emergency health advice when you are worried or unsure, call Healthline 0800 611 116.
Should you go to WAMC, call 111, call Healthline or see your GP?
Urgent-care search intent is not casual. The visitor is often in pain, worried, travelling, away from their regular GP, or trying to help a child, partner, tourist, student or older relative. Use this routing box first.
Call 111 or go to an emergency department. Do not wait for a walk-in clinic queue.
WAMC may be appropriate for accidents, sprains, cuts, minor broken bones and urgent medical problems.
Call Healthline 0800 611 116 for free health advice before travelling.
Use your regular GP for continuity of care, repeat follow-up, chronic conditions or routine certificates.
Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre quick answer
Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre is a walk-in urgent care clinic at 17 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021. The official website says the clinic is open every day of the year from 8am to 9pm, no appointment is necessary, and the phone number is 04 384 4944.
Healthpoint lists the service as an Accident & Urgent Medical Care service and says it is open Monday to Sunday 8:00am–9:00pm, open on all public holidays, and walk-in only. Healthpoint also says no appointments can be made and that after 9:00pm patients should contact Wellington Hospital ED.
The centre can be useful when you cannot wait to see your GP, are visiting Wellington, are not registered with a GP, or have an urgent accident or medical problem that is not a life-threatening emergency. For emergencies, call 111. For advice when unsure, call Healthline.
WAMC patient tools for urgent care, arrival and preparation
These tools do not diagnose, treat or replace a clinician. They only help you choose a contact route and prepare before visiting a walk-in urgent care centre.
Tool 1: urgent care route finder
Select the situation. The result will guide you toward 111, Healthline, WAMC, GP, pharmacy or hospital ED.
Your route will appear here
Select both fields. This tool provides contact-route guidance only.
- Emergency symptoms should go to 111.
- Urgent care is for non-life-threatening urgent problems.
- Routine care is usually better handled by your regular GP.
Tool 2: arrival readiness checker
Use this before leaving home so you do not forget key details.
Readiness guidance will appear here
The official website asks visitors to bring photo ID. If your visit is accident related, reception may start an ACC form when you arrive.
Tool 3: waiting-time preparation builder
Choose who is attending. This helps prepare for triage and possible waiting.
Your checklist will appear here
This helps reduce mistakes such as arriving without ID, expecting appointment order, forgetting ACC details, or going to urgent care for something that needs 111.
Opening hours, phone, address and access type
The official WAMC website states that the centre is a walk-in service with no appointment necessary, open every day of the year from 8am to 9pm. Healthpoint also lists the centre as open Monday to Sunday 8:00am–9:00pm and open on all public holidays.
Do not confuse “open until 9pm” with guaranteed same-speed access. The official visiting information says waiting times fluctuate, especially on weekends and public holidays, and high patient demand may mean the centre cannot see all patients before closing.
How WAMC walk-in urgent care works after you arrive
WAMC is not a normal appointment-booking GP clinic. Healthpoint states anyone can access the service, including walk-in and casual patients. The official website explains that when you arrive, reception will ask you to complete a consultation form and may begin an ACC form if your visit is accident related.
The important part: you may not be seen in arrival order. The official visiting information says reception will ask if you have significant symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or bleeding. A triage nurse then assesses severity, gives a triage code, and the doctor sees patients according to triage code rather than simply who arrived first.
Arrive and identify the reason clearly
Say whether the visit is illness, accident, possible fracture, cut, worsening symptoms, pain, child illness, visitor care or something else urgent.
Bring photo ID and key details
Bring passport, driver licence or student ID if available. Also bring medicine names, allergies, relevant letters and any ACC or accident details.
Tell reception about serious symptoms
Do not minimise chest pain, shortness of breath, severe bleeding, fainting, severe pain, head injury, allergic reaction or major concern.
Expect triage before the doctor
A triage nurse may assess severity and assign priority. Someone who arrives after you may be seen first if clinically more urgent.
Follow up with your usual GP where needed
WAMC’s service information encourages patients to follow up with their regular GP after the initial consultation for continuity of care.
When Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre may be appropriate
The official website says you should visit when you do not think you can wait to see a doctor, when you are a visitor to Wellington, or when you have not yet registered with a GP. Healthpoint says urgent care can help with urgent medical problems and accidents such as sprains, lacerations and broken bones when your GP is unavailable or the problem feels too urgent to wait.
Accidents and injuries
Sprains, cuts, lacerations, minor head injuries, possible minor fractures and accident-related care may fit urgent care if not life-threatening.
Urgent medical problems
Urgent symptoms that cannot wait for your usual GP may be appropriate, but severe or critical symptoms still belong with 111 or ED.
Visitors to Wellington
The centre can help visitors who do not have a local GP and need urgent primary medical attention.
No registered GP
WAMC may help when you have not registered with a GP, but it does not enrol patients or replace ongoing GP care.
Too urgent to wait
If you cannot wait for a routine GP appointment, urgent care may be the right level if symptoms are not life-threatening.
Not for life-threatening emergencies
Call 111 for chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding, serious allergic reaction, severe burns or other critical symptoms.
X-ray, plastering, fracture clinic and onsite facilities
WAMC’s official service page says the centre has x-ray and plastering facilities available so fractures can be diagnosed quickly and most simple fractures can be treated on site. It also says plastering facilities are onsite and nurses are trained in applying plasters.
The same service information says the on-site fracture clinic can provide ongoing follow-up after initial treatment for a broken bone. It lists fracture clinic appointments on Monday afternoon and Tuesday mornings under orthopaedic guidance, and states the clinic is private with a charge of $65 for each visit. Confirm current availability and fees directly before relying on this.
Pacific Radiology onsite
The official service page says Pacific Radiology provides x-ray facilities onsite. Listed hours differ by day, so check before relying on x-ray availability.
Plastering facilities
Plasters can be applied onsite, and follow-up care may be available through the fracture clinic where suitable.
Fracture clinic follow-up
The fracture clinic is for follow-up after initial treatment and is not the same as a general walk-in queue.
Simple fracture pathway
Urgent care may diagnose and treat many simple fractures onsite, depending on assessment, x-ray and service capacity.
GP follow-up
WAMC encourages follow-up with your regular GP after initial treatment for continuity of care.
Ask before waiting
If your main reason is x-ray or fracture follow-up, confirm current radiology hours, capacity and fee before travelling if possible.
WAMC urgent care, onsite pharmacy, x-ray and travel clinic are not all the same service
One bounce problem for this topic is service confusion. The official website lists urgent care, fracture clinic, onsite plastering, Pacific Radiology, urgent pharmacy and travel clinic information. These services may share a site or be nearby, but they may have separate hours, fees, booking rules and contact routes.
Urgent care clinic
Use WAMC for urgent medical problems and accidents that are not life-threatening emergencies.
Urgent Pharmacy
The official service page lists an urgent pharmacy onsite, open 9am–9pm every day of the year, with phone 04 385 8810.
Pacific Radiology
X-ray is onsite through Pacific Radiology. Confirm daily hours and whether your situation needs urgent-care assessment first.
Fracture clinic
Follow-up fracture appointments are separate from the normal urgent-care walk-in queue and may have a private charge.
Wellington Travel Clinic
Travel medicine is a separate planned service, not the same as urgent walk-in care. The official travel clinic page says clinical days are Wednesdays only.
Emergency department
For life-threatening emergencies or after 9pm when WAMC is closed, use 111 or the appropriate emergency department route.
Wellington urgent care fees, payment and eligibility questions
WAMC’s fee page says high-needs groups may have reduced charges after hours, including weekends, public holidays and after 5pm weekdays. It defines high-needs groups as patients registered with Wellington Very Low Cost Access Practices, Community Services Card holders and High User Health Card holders.
The same page says children under 14 have free medical consultations after 5pm and during weekends. It also says non-New Zealanders may be eligible for public hospital funding but not necessarily for funding to see a GP or accident and urgent medical centre, and asks visitors to bring a passport for proof of eligibility.
Ask before or at reception
- What is the current fee for my age and eligibility?
- Does Community Services Card, High User Health Card or VLCA status apply?
- Is this accident-related and does an ACC form need to be started?
- Does x-ray, plastering, pharmacy, fracture clinic or follow-up cost extra?
- What payment is needed today?
Do not assume
- That urgent care is free for every visitor.
- That overseas insurance can pay the clinic directly.
- That children are free at all times and for every service.
- That x-ray, fracture clinic and pharmacy charges are included in one consultation.
- That public hospital funding rules automatically apply to urgent care.
Waiting times, triage and why you may not be seen in arrival order
WAMC’s visiting information says waiting times can fluctuate throughout the day, especially over weekends and public holidays. It says average waiting times on weekdays are typically up to two hours, sometimes longer, while weekends and public holidays average around an hour and can be up to four hours.
The centre also says high patient demand may mean not all patients can be seen before closing at 9pm. Patients may be accepted until 9pm only if capacity has not been reached. This is exactly why late-evening visitors should consider phoning first when safe to do so.
Why someone after you may be seen first
The doctor sees patients by triage priority, not strictly by arrival time. Chest pain, shortness of breath, bleeding or severe symptoms can change clinical priority.
How to prepare for waiting
- Bring ID, water, charger and medicine list.
- Bring child comfort items if attending with a child.
- Tell staff if symptoms change while waiting.
- Ask if it is close to closing or capacity seems high.
What Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre does not replace
WAMC is an urgent care service. Its official about page says it does not register patients and encourages people to find or return to their own GPs for ongoing care. Healthpoint also lists “does not apply” for enrolling new patients and says the service does not enrol patients.
Not a GP enrolment practice
Use your usual GP or a GP enrolment pathway for ongoing care, chronic conditions, repeats and continuity.
Not a WINZ/immigration/driver medical provider
Healthpoint and the official service page say WAMC does not provide medical certificates for WINZ benefits, immigration medicals, driving or diving medicals.
Not an emergency department substitute
Call 111 or go to ED for life-threatening symptoms, severe breathing issues, severe bleeding, stroke signs, collapse or critical injury.
Not the best place for routine follow-up
Follow-up after urgent care should usually go back to your regular GP unless WAMC gives different instructions.
Not every onsite service is urgent care
Pharmacy, radiology, fracture clinic and travel clinic may have their own workflow and fees.
Not email-based urgent advice
The contact page says urgent matters should not be sent via the website because emails are not monitored at all times.
Patient checklist before visiting WAMC
A walk-in urgent care visit is easier when you arrive with the right information. Use this checklist before leaving home, especially if you are taking a child, supporting an older person, or visiting from overseas.
Bring or prepare
- Photo ID, such as passport, driver licence or student ID.
- Medicine list, allergies and important medical conditions.
- Details of what happened and when symptoms started.
- ACC accident details if injury-related.
- Community Services Card, High User Health Card or eligibility proof if relevant.
- Passport if you are a non-New Zealander and need eligibility checked.
Tell reception immediately if
- You have chest pain or tightness.
- You have shortness of breath.
- Bleeding is significant or not stopping.
- There is possible stroke, collapse, severe pain or serious allergic reaction.
- You are COVID positive or have COVID symptoms.
- Your symptoms worsen while waiting.
Map, buses and parking for Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre
WAMC is located at 17 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021, opposite McDonald’s and close to the Basin Reserve. The official website says the clinic is on a main bus route with a bus stop almost right outside.
Parking is limited. The official website says there is limited free 60-minute parking in front of WAMC on Adelaide Road, and the visiting page also notes free dedicated parking on Alfred Street. Build in extra time for parking and check-in.
Nearby Wellington medical centre guides
If your need is not urgent care, these related guides may help you compare regular GP contact routes. Use WAMC for urgent walk-in care when appropriate, and use your usual GP for ongoing health needs whenever possible.
Newtown Medical Centre
Useful for patients comparing regular GP access near Newtown and Wellington Hospital.
Open guideThe Terrace Medical Centre
Helpful for central Wellington users checking routine GP services, appointments and patient details.
Open guideRopata Medical Centre
Useful for Lower Hutt patients comparing urgent-care and regular GP routing in the wider Wellington region.
Open guideWellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre frequently asked questions
What is Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre’s phone number?
The listed phone number is 04 384 4944.
Where is Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre located?
The centre is located at 17 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021, close to the Basin Reserve.
Is WAMC the same as Wellington After Hours Medical Centre?
Yes. The official website and Healthpoint refer to Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre, and the centre is also known as Wellington After Hours Medical Centre or WAMC.
Do I need an appointment?
No. The official website says WAMC is a walk-in service and no appointment is necessary. Healthpoint says no appointments can be made.
What are WAMC opening hours?
The official website says WAMC is open every day of the year from 8am to 9pm. Healthpoint lists Monday to Sunday 8:00am–9:00pm and public holidays open. Capacity may still be reached during high-demand periods.
What should I bring when visiting WAMC?
The official website asks visitors to bring photo ID, such as passport, driver licence or student ID. Bring medicine details, allergies, eligibility cards and accident details if relevant.
Does WAMC have x-ray?
The official service information says Pacific Radiology provides x-ray facilities onsite. Confirm current radiology hours before relying on x-ray availability.
Does WAMC treat fractures?
WAMC says it has x-ray and plastering facilities and that most simple fractures can be treated onsite. It also has an on-site fracture clinic for follow-up after initial treatment.
Does WAMC enrol new GP patients?
No. WAMC is an urgent care medical centre and does not register patients. Its official about page encourages people to find or return to their own GP for ongoing care.
When should I call 111 instead of going to WAMC?
Call 111 for life-threatening symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke signs, collapse, severe bleeding, serious allergic reaction, severe burns or any situation that feels critical.
What should I do after 9pm?
Healthpoint says after 9pm contact Wellington Hospital ED. For emergencies, call 111. For non-emergency advice when unsure, call Healthline 0800 611 116.
Is this the official WAMC website?
No. This is an independent patient information guide. For current clinical instructions, hours, capacity, fees and urgent-care advice, use the official WAMC website or phone the centre directly.
Sources, accuracy note and independent-guide disclaimer
This guide summarises public information from Wellington After Hours Medical Centre / Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre, Healthpoint and official New Zealand health sources. Urgent-care details can change, especially waiting times, capacity, fees, pharmacy/radiology hours and public-holiday demand.
Independent guide: Medical Centre NZ is not Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre or Wellington After Hours Medical Centre. This page does not provide diagnosis, treatment or clinical advice. It helps patients find the right official contact route and prepare safer questions.
- Official Wellington After Hours Medical Centre website
- Official WAMC services page
- Official visiting, parking and waiting-times page
- Official WAMC fees page
- Official WAMC contact page
- Healthpoint listing for Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre
- Healthline — Health New Zealand
- 111 emergency service — New Zealand Government
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026. Re-check official pages before future edits, especially hours, capacity, waiting times, fees, onsite pharmacy/radiology hours and public-holiday instructions.
Final recommendation
Use Wellington Accident & Urgent Medical Centre for urgent but non-life-threatening accident and medical problems when a GP cannot wait or is not available. Bring photo ID, expect triage, and allow for waiting. For life-threatening symptoms, call 111. For advice when unsure, call Healthline on 0800 611 116.