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

Korowai programme now available on the West Coast for caregivers of unwell whānau

Wednesday 23 October 2024Health news3 minutes to read

West Coast whānau looking after family members at home can now attend free workshops run by a group of dedicated health professionals. The Korowai programme is a Nurse Maude Hospice Service initiative which has recently been introduced to the Coast.

Palliative Care Doctor Wendy Pattemore says, “we are developing a West Coast version of the Korowai programme to give Coast whānau and caregivers the opportunity to learn about how best to look after their loved ones at home. While this sounds easy many of us have forgotten how to look after each other. Palliative care on the Coast is unique as we have to do it from the ground up and this means getting everyone involved.”

“Fortunately, we have a strong head start as our community is really compassionate which is amazing. We want to build that community by teaching others and spreading the word about how to care for each other especially people close to us who are unwell. We have roped in a whole lot of people from across the health system to help with this so our community get to know who we are and what we can do to support them. Key partners in the programme include West Coast Health (Primary Health Organisation), Buller West Coast Home Hospice Trust and Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.”

The Korowai programme is a free palliative care service for whānau, and caregivers looking after their loved ones at home. It is held in three weekly blocks (2 hours per week) throughout the year. Topics covered include what supports are available, tips for good communication, understanding symptoms, dietary advice, managing personal care, best practice for safe moving and handling, hints on organising your affairs, what to expect during the last days of life and understanding loss and grief.

Palliative Care Nurse Specialist Nicky Featherstone is excited about this programme as she has always felt there was a need for people on the Coast to learn how to care for their loved ones at home. “Trying to do this in a hospital environment is really difficult as we have to tee it up with all the nurses and the family at the same time. This programme is a great way to get around that and for people to know that they can care for their loved one at home with good support.”

The programme is supported by staff from across the health system including our moving and handling specialist, our district nursing team as well as our allied health, scientific and technical team who have provided dietitian services, social work support and occupational therapy services in people’s homes. This collaborative approach means whānau are able to access various supports depending on the individual needs of their loved ones.

“We have started with palliative care patients, and we are hoping to widen that to chronic diseases because we know that we have a lot of older people here on the Coast and expect to see higher demand for services in the future. We need Coasters to be able to care for their loved ones in the community and for that reason we are really keen to upskill people to do that,” says Wendy.

Anyone interested in doing the training, can contact West Coast Health on (03) 768 6182 to register.

ENDS

Photo: West Coast’s Korowai programme team (L to R) Palliative Care Nurse Specialist Nicky Featherstone, Palliative Care Dr. Wendy Pattemore, Moving and Handling Specialist Rebecca Neville, Palliative Care Nurse Specialist Sandy Hartwig and Occupational Therapist Rachel Neame.

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