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

Serving up a festive treat for West Coast patients

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Thursday 24 December 2020Health news2 minutes to read

Chef Ashley Wallace-Bullimore busy cutting Christmas cake for our patients.

The highlights of a kiwi Christmas can range from camping in the backyard to a trip to the beach. But one thing that connects most kiwis is sharing delicious Christmas kai with friends and whānau.

West Coast DHB’s WellFood team have been busy preparing the almost 140 Christmas meals they’ll be plating up for patients who find themselves in hospital on Christmas Day.

The team are well aware of the tradition of enjoying a great Christmas meal and that’s why they go the extra mile to serve up a mouth-watering Christmas feast to patients each year.

Some of the delicious meal options include roast chicken with seasonal stuffing, roast lamb and gravy and baked ham served with salad.

The Christmas treats don’t end there with a range of tempting desserts to round off the merry menu including trifle, fresh fruit salad, jelly and ice cream and Christmas pudding.

WellFood Hospitality Manager Jeannie Bourke says this year has been challenging for many and we want to give our patients some Christmas cheer as being in hospital over the festive season is never easy.

The 6 staff working in the Te Nīkau Hospital kitchen are also preparing around 180 “meals on wheels” to spread the Christmas spirit through the local community as well.

“It’s a real highlight each year for our teams across the West Coast, knowing that we’re able to brighten up Christmas Day for our patients.

“We’re also pleased we can give our hard-working staff a Christmas meal while they are working and missing out time with family”, Jeannie says.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 10 May 2021

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