Our History

It all began in 1912 when Bowen Hospital first opened its doors.

The original hospital was built in Bowen Street (opposite Parliament) by the late Dr W E Herbert, who operated the hospital with Dr H Hardwick-Smith.

On Dr Herbert’s death in 1933, the land and buildings were sold to the Government and leased by a group of doctors who continued to run the hospital.

In 1965 the Government served notice that it required the land and, as a result, the doctors donated their assets to the Bowen Hospital Charitable Trust.

The present site, with its tranquil surroundings and easy access from all directions, was then selected for the establishment of a modern, architecturally designed surgical hospital.

In 1999, the hospital became Bowen Hospital Limited, a company jointly owned by the Bowen Hospital Charitable Trust and a group of medical practitioners.

In April 2003, the hospital was acquired by Wakefield Hospital Limited, a listed public company on the New Zealand Stock Exchange.

A major redevelopment of the Bowen Hospital campus commenced in late 2009 with the construction of the “Bowen Centre” which was completed in December 2010 and houses new consulting, radiology and endoscopy facilities.

The next phase, completed in January 2012, includes a new 5-theatre digital operating suite (3 theatres fitted out to date). These i-suites are not only the most advanced theatres in NZ, but arguably the most modern innovative theatres currently in Australasia.

The last phase, completed in 2012, provides for 2nd stage recovery, a patient admit area and related facilities. The completed project, in its unique location overlooking the Ngaio Gorge, offers Bowen Hospital and the surgical teams that operate here the ability to provide exceptional results and care to their patients.

Parent company Wakefield Health Limited changed its name to Acurity Health Group Limited in August 2012. This was done to better reflect its own unique identity as an owner of three private surgical hospitals, and its investment in other health related organisations across the country.

In December 2015, Evolution Healthcare (a privately owned Australian and New Zealand healthcare operator) acquired 100% of Acurity Health Group Ltd (NZ). Find out more about Evolution Healthcare here.

Bowen Hospital has been continuously upgraded and expanded over the years. Recent building projects saw us installing the Alcon NGenuity® 3D Visualisation System – A first for a private hospital in New Zealand.

We will continue to expand, grow and innovate so that we can continue to be the number one provider of private surgical and oncological services in the Wellington region.