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

West Coast DHB to start further mobile COVID-19 sentinel testing on the Coast

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  3. West Coast DHB to start further mobile COVID-19 sentinel testing on the Coast

Friday 1 May 2020Health news2 minutes to read

West Coast DHB will be undertaking COVID-19 sentinel testing in Reefton and Springs Junction on Tuesday, 5 May 2020, says Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton.

“Residents from these two communities who want to be tested can come along to their nearest mobile testing station. No referral is needed as we are interesting in testing people with or without COVID-19 symptoms.

“If you are planning to come along, we ask that you stay in your car and our staff will come to you to get your details and answer any questions before you are tested. This will involve inserting a long swab (like an extended cotton bud) up one of your nostrils so a sample can be taken from the back of your nose/throat.”

Reefton’s testing station will be operating from 8.30am to 10.30am in the Reefton Racecourse’s Sports Complex building on Racecourse Road, Reefton and Springs Junction residents will find us in the G.A.S Station carpark on State Highway 7, Springs Junction between 1.00pm and 2.30pm.

“Sentinel testing helps us develop a better understanding of how and where COVID-19 is on the Coast and throughout New Zealand. We are currently finalising our plans for when and where future sentinel testing will take place across the Coast and will provide further information to the community shortly,” Dr Brunton says.

If you already have COVID-19 symptoms, please don’t wait until next Tuesday to get tested. Please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or phone your own doctor or local clinic; or contact Poutini Waiora (Māori Health and Social Service) – 0800 333 170.  COVID-19 symptoms include high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell.  These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.

Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 16 December 2022

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