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 makes changes to visiting as cases of respiratory illness rise in community

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  3. West Coast DHB makes changes to visiting as cases of respiratory illness rise in community

Tuesday 13 July 2021Health news2 minutes to read

Following an increase in viral respiratory illness being seen in the community, West Coast DHB has made changes to visiting for all DHB facilities today – effective immediately. 

West Coast DHB Chief Medical Officer Dr Graham Roper says that over the past fortnight there has been an increase in the number of people presenting with respiratory illness and we need to do whatever we can to prevent the spread of illness in our facilities.

“For that reason, we are requesting that only one person at a time comes in to visit, and that no children come in to visit our facilities. Exceptions will be made on compassionate grounds, and should be discussed with the nurse in charge of the area you want to visit.

“We’re recommending people wear a mask or other face covering (it can be a fabric mask or scarf but must cover your nose and mouth) when visiting family, whānau or friends at our facilities. We also ask that people only visit our facilities for essential purposes only and stay home if they are unwell,” says Dr Roper.

These changes are in place until further notice while there are a number of viruses circulating around the community. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we all work to protect our vulnerable patients and staff.

Anyone with a booked GP appointment, planned surgery or outpatient appointment should still turn up as planned – if you are unwell then please phone ahead of time to discuss your appointment.

Summary of key changes for West Coast DHB facilities:

  • Visiting is restricted to one person at a time per patient, for essential purposes only.
  • People should stay home if they’re unwell and do not need urgent care.
  • Children are not permitted to visit, unless an exception has been granted by the relevant Clinical Nurse Manager of the ward being visited, until further notice.
  • It is recommended that anyone visiting wears a face mask or other face covering.
  • Some people may be asked to wait in their car/vehicle.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 13 July 2021

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