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

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If you or someone else is in danger, dial 111 or call our mental health team on 0800 757 678.

For help with mental health for yourself, whānau (family member) or a friend, contact your local health clinic or your usual doctor or nurse for advice.

All mental health services are confidential and non-judgemental. We won’t tell anyone about your health unless you want us to, and we won’t make you feel bad about asking for help.

Community Mental Health office, Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre

 0800 757 678

Crisis Response operates from 8am until 9.30pm, seven days per week.
On-call staff are available for crises. Crisis Response is a free service.

All calls are triaged by a national helpline team, 24/7.

West Coast Primary Health Organisation (PHO) works with doctors, nurses and counsellors in the community to run the Primary Health Counselling Program.

The program can help with:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Stressful situations
  • Loss and grief
  • Problem solving
  • Increasing life satisfaction

To find out more please contact your doctor, nurse, or local clinic.

Visitors to the West Coast can call 03 769 7449.

 Be prepared when you contact us

When you call or visit a mental health service, we need to know who you are. To help us:

  • Have your ID, drivers licence, or passport ready.
  • Write down your National Health Index (NHI) number if you have it.
  • Write down your address.
  • If you want us to contact someone, write down a phone number for a trusted friend or family member.

We won’t share your information with anyone unless you want us to.

 Buller: 03 788 9234

 Greymouth: 03 769 7805

 Hokitika: 03 756 9700

These services provide assessment and treatment in a community setting for clients with moderate-to-severe mental illness.

 Buller: 03 788 9234

 Greymouth: 03 769 7805

 Hokitika: 03 756 9700

CAMHS assesses and treats children and teenagers up to 18 years old with serious mental health disorders, suspected psychiatric disorders, and psychological disorders.

03 769 7670

CAMHS also provides:

  • Alcohol and drug services.
  • Support for children who have a family member with mental illness.
  • Guidance and skills for parents

The Māori Mental Health Team provides clinical and cultural services for all areas of mental health on the West Coast. All calls related to mental health including Māori Mental Health should go to Mental Health main reception (see details below).  Please note: Māori Mental Health is not a 24/7 service.  So if the numbers below are dialled the call will be directed to the Crisis number, which is a 24/7 service.

03 769 7805 or for Te Whatu Ora West Coast staff, hospital extension 2805

Some mental health patients experiencing a crisis will have to stay at Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre while they recover. These people stay in the Manaakitanga Mental Health Unit.

Learn more about the Manaakitanga Mental Health Unit

03 768 7805

Visiting hours:

2pm to 8pm, unless arranged ahead of time with nursing staff.

Page last updated: 7 August 2023

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