HOSPITAL VISITING

Hospital visiting guidelines updated 16 September 2022: Hospital visitors must wear a surgical/medical paper mask. Fabric face coverings are not acceptable.  See our COVID-19 page for general COVID-19 advice, detailed hospital visiting guidelines and COVID-19 tests.

See www.vaccinatecanterburywestcoast.nz for info on vaccinations.

Last updated:
16 September 2022

Fewer visitor restrictions now apply

For visitors to all facilities effective from 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

Oral health services / Dental services
Division: Oral health services

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Although Te Whatu Ora Waitaha dental department provides specialist dental care to people in the Canterbury region, it is also a tertiary referral centre for the West Coast and Nelson and Marlborough regions.

Kids’ and teenagers’ teeth

Te Whatu Ora West Coast funds and provides tooth care services for children and adolescents, including examinations, x-rays, fillings and extractions.

  • Child dental care: Free for children 12 months old up until school Year 8. Provided through community and mobile clinics.
  • Adolescent dental care: Free for teens from Year 9 until 18 years old. Mostly provided by private dentists and paid for by Te Whatu Ora West Coast. Mobile clinics provide this service in rural areas.
  • Hospital dental services: Free for children needing dental treatment under general anaesthetic. Requires referral through the child dental service.

Kids younger than 5 get free regular check-ups and treatment. This service includes fluoride varnishes to protect teeth at risk of decay.

We encourage parents, guardians and whānau to enrol their children for regular dental care. Get a registration form by contacting us directly, or talking to your Well Child Tamariki Ora provider.

You can also request registration forms by calling 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) or 03 769 7710.

Dental therapists provide free check-ups to primary and intermediate-aged school children through community and mobile clinics. If your child needs more advanced dental work, the therapist will refer them to a private dentist.

This service is provided during school terms. When schools are closed you can contact a dentist directly.

For more information call
0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) or 03 769 7710.

Most teenagers are eligible for free dental care until their 18th birthday – regardless of whether you are at school, working, or unemployed.

You can choose a dentist from the list below, or you can stay with the dental therapist you saw at primary or intermediate school. This can be useful for people who have to travel a long way to see a dentist.

West Coast Dentists and Community Dental Services

(Providing free adolescent dental care and special dental benefit referrals)

Greymouth Dentists

Lumino Family Dental Centre
38 Albert Mall, Greymouth
03 768 6243

Lumino The Dentist (Garry Rae)
140 Mackay St, Greymouth
03 768 6716

Coast Smiles Dental Spa
38 Johnston Street
03 399 3768

Westport Dentists

Westport Dental Centre
141 Palmerston St
03 789 8901
After hours 0800 825 583

Community Dental Services (School Dental Service)

Grey District

0800 825 583 (follow voice-prompts)
After hours 027-237 0029

Buller District

0800 825 583 (follow voice-prompts)
After hours 027-886 2783

Westland District

0800 825 583 (follow voice-prompts)
After hours 027-451 6381

Page last updated: 20 February 2023

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