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Story: Primary health care

John Street Doctors

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John Street Doctors

This building in Newtown, Wellington, housed a medical practice from 1894 to 2001. In 1946 resident doctor William Shirer decided to establish a group practice – a radical concept at the time. His experiment was successful. The building was sold to the Child Cancer Foundation in 2001, ending 55 years of group practice.  

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Kerryn Pollock

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How to cite this page

Michael Belgrave, Primary health care – Improving access to health care, 1900s–1970s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/31526/john-street-doctors (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Michael Belgrave, published 21 April 2011.