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

DHB applauds Government’s commitment to West Coast

Friday 27 May 2016Facilities News2 minutes to read

West Coast District Health Board Chair Peter Ballantyne has applauded the Government's commitment to the health of West Coasters with today's announcement of extra funding to allow the new Grey Base facilities to proceed.

After preferred contractor Fletchers Construction conducted a full tender of sub-trades and detailed design work to refine costs and reduce risks, the Minister of Health has approved an extra $9.7 million to build what is now a $77.8 million new Grey Base Hospital and Integrated Family Health Centre.

“The project team, led by West Coast clinicians, will be much relieved that the Government is going to ensure these much needed facilities get built.  Thousands of hours of West Coast time has been put into researching, analysing and developing the best facility possible to meet the needs of Coasters.  We are thrilled to hear construction will start next week,” Mr Ballantyne says.

He said everyone involved appreciated that the facilities will proceed with no reduction in scope. 

The 8,500 square metre facility adjacent to the current Grey Base Hospital includes 56 in-patient beds, three operating theatres, and an integrated family health centre to support the delivery of primary healthcare services.  It will also house and support the delivery of other clinical services including a 24/7 emergency department, critical care unit, acute and planned medical and surgical services, maternity services, and outpatient care.

He also welcomed the news that the new hospital was expected to open in the first quarter of 2018.

“We can now start planning around the new opening dates and it will be a huge relief to the people of the Coast that there will be no further foreseeable delays in getting their new base hospital.

“The Minister of Health has also confirmed that the Hospitals Redevelopment Partnership Group will assume oversight of the Buller IFHC development.”

Ends

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Page last updated: 17 April 2019

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