HOSPITAL VISITING

All hospital visitors are recommended to wear a medical face mask. For more information about visiting: Visitors and family. See our COVID-19 page for general COVID-19 advice, detailed hospital visiting guidelines and COVID-19 tests.

See West Coast COVID-19 vaccination clinics for info on vaccinations link COVID-19 Vaccination • West Coast • Healthpoint

Last updated:
16 September 2022

Fewer visitor restrictions now apply

For visitors to all facilities (effective from and last updated on 16 September 2022)

Some visitor restrictions for all Te Whatu Ora Te Tai o Poutini West Coast health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and so people must continue to wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and other visitors safe.

Kia whakahaumaru te whānau, me ngā iwi katoa – this is to keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people must not visit our facilities if they are unwell. Do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients in single rooms may have more than one visitor while patients in multi-bed rooms can have one visitor only per patient to ensure there is no overcrowding.
  • People can have one or two support people to accompany them to outpatients appointments.
  • Women in labour in a birthing suite, in Te Nīkau Hospital’s Maternity Ward and in Buller’s Kawatiri Maternity Unit can have the usual support people, subject to space, for the duration of their stay in our facilities.
  • Eating or drinking at the bedside is at the discretion of the Clinical Nurse Manager. Visitors must not eat or drink in multibed rooms because of the increased risk when multiple people remove their mask in the same space.
  • Hand sanitiser is available and must be used.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Mask wearing

  • Surgical/medical masks must be worn at all sites, except in counselling, mental health and addiction services where it’s on a case-by-case agreement with patients. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one. In higher-risk environments, people, including young children, may not be able to visit if they cannot wear a mask.
  • Any member of the public with a mask exemption is welcome in all our facilities when attending to receive health care and *treatment. Please show your mask exemption card and appointment letter to staff at the entrance. *Treatment includes coming into the Emergency Department, outpatient appointments, surgery or a procedure.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People are able to visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear an N95 mask – this will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Other methods of communication will be facilitated e.g. phone, Facetime, Zoom, WhatsApp etc where visits aren’t possible.

You must NOT visit our facilities if you

  • are COVID-19 positive
  • are unwell. Please stay home if you have a tummy bug or cold or flu/COVID-19-like symptoms (even if you’ve tested negative for COVID-19).

Te Whatu Ora West Coast Aged Residential Care facilities

Visitors are welcome at our Aged Care Residential facilities, subject to the space available. All visitors must wear a surgical mask.

More COVID-19 information

Government confirms $20m investment in new health centre for Westport

Monday 19 November 2018Facilities News3 minutes to read

Health minister Dr David Clark and West Coast Tasman MP Damien O'Connor pointing to the Buller Medical Services Building Refurbishment plaque.

Health minister Dr David Clark and West Coast Tasman MP Damien O'Connor pointing to the Buller Medical Services Building Refurbishment plaque.

Health Minister Dr David Clark today confirmed $20m in Crown funding and the site for the new Buller Health Centre in Westport.

During a visit to Westport today with West Coast Tasman MP Damien O’Connor, David Clark said the latest concept design for the new facility had been accepted, allowing detailed design work to proceed.

“The people of Buller have waited long enough for a modern, purpose-designed health facility,” David Clark said.

“The Government has listened to the public engagement process and the typically direct feedback from Coasters, including input from the clinicians who will work there.

“As a result, I can confirm that the Buller facility will be located on the current hospital site, and that we’ll be increasing the scope of the project to allow for the inclusion of the locally provided Adult Dental Service as well as two additional medical beds.”

Damien O’Connor said today’s announcement was great news for the Coast.

“Today we have reason to celebrate because a fit-for-purpose Buller health facility will be delivered as promised by the Coalition Government.

“I want to thank Dr Clark for listening to feedback and boosting the number of medical beds beyond the initial plan.  

“Many people should be proud of their efforts to get a better deal for Buller residents after the previous Government’s determination to penny pinch and entirely ignore the community’s wishes.

“The new facility will be one that the community can be proud of and I’ll be keen to see construction get under way as soon as possible,” Damien O’Connor said.

David Clark said project budget is being set at $20 million, to be funded by the Crown, and continues a series of significant Coalition Government investments in hospital infrastructures.

“In recent weeks, we’ve announced major investments in hospitals from Northland to Auckland to Wellington, and today the West Coast.  All New Zealanders deserve access to services which will lead to better health outcomes,’’ said David Clark.

The Government’s major investments in hospitals and health facilities so far this year:

  • $275m for Auckland DHB to address significant infrastructure challenges at Auckland City Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre
  • $8m for Individualised Service Units at Capital and Coast DHB for our most high needs intellectual disability and mental health patients
  • $200m for a new elective surgery unit at Waitematā’s North Shore Hospital
  • $24m for new endoscopy and cardiac care capacity at Northland’s Whangarei Hospital
  • $45.6m funding for Wellington’s new children’s hospital
  • $7.1m for a new outpatients and primary care facility for Bay of Islands Hospital.
  • $20m in Crown funding and the site for the new Buller Health Centre in Westport.

 

 

 

 

 

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Page last updated: 20 May 2019

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