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

Mental health inpatient unit (Manaakitanga)
Department: Manaakitanga IPUDivision: West Coast DHB

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Manaakitanga Inpatient Unit

Some mental health patients experiencing a crisis will have to stay at the hospital while they recover. These people stay in the Manaakitanga unit.

Manaakitanga: Making people feel welcome when they are in our company, showing kindness, caring for others, treating people with respect and nurturing relationships.

 

The Manaakitanga unit is alongside Community Mental Health. Visitors can ask for directions at main reception or Community Mental Health reception.

Visiting hours:  2.00pm to 8.00pm, unless arranged ahead of time with nursing staff.

We encourage friends and whānau to visit patients because it helps them get better. Sometimes staff will ask you not to visit because the patient is resting, in treatment, or too unwell. Staff will let you know if this is the case, and will tell you when you can visit again. You may still be able to phone.

For the safety of all patients, visitors and staff, please think carefully about what you bring to the unit, or ask a nurse if you are unsure. Knives, medication, drugs and alcohol are all banned.

Visitors under 16 years old must have a responsible adult with them.

All patients have a right to privacy. If you see someone you know at Manaakitanga, please don’t talk about them to anyone else.

Patients’ values, identity and belief systems are an important part of their journey back to health.

Māori patients can speak to a Pukenga Tiaki cultural worker who will talk to them about their cultural needs and advise unit staff of any specific tikanga.

Interpreters are available for patients who speak different languages.

Patients can request clergy to visit them, and a service is held every Wednesday in the hospital chapel.

Grey Base Hospital is smokefree. Please do not smoke while visiting Manaakitanga. Some patients may not be allowed to leave the hospital grounds to smoke – nicotine replacement therapy is available.

Page last updated: 18 May 2022

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