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 welcomes funding confirmation for new Mental Health facility

Tuesday 25 January 2022Health news3 minutes to read

West Coast DHB will shortly begin the development design phase of the new Mental Health facility located on the Te Nīkau Hospital & Health Centre campus in Greymouth. Earlier this month, the Minister of Health confirmed that the Government has approved $20m for the new facility.

West Coast DHB Chair Rick Barker says that Minister of Health Andrew Little’s confirmation that the ageing mental health facility will be replaced by a new facility with the allocation of $20 million for the build is good news for the Coast. The current facility has provided good service but is clearly due for replacement.

“The new facility will ensure the Coast has a world class facility, built to today's standards and future proofed to provide those who access services with an appropriate environment to meet their needs with a quality working environment for our staff. The new facility is a commitment that mental health services will remain on the Coast.

When completed, the West Coast will have had a serious upgrade of facilities with Te Nīkau, a new Buller Health facility, a new mental health unit and an upgraded clinic in Haast.

I wish to acknowledge the commitment of all Board members to this project, the good work of the staff in building the business case as well as local MP Damien O’Connor for his advocacy for the project,” Rick Barker says.

Executive Director, Infrastructure for the West Coast and Canterbury DHBs Rob Ojala says the conceptual design layout used to support the business case was developed with input from our Mental Health staff and consumers, architects and project managers. The next steps in the design phase includes re-engaging users and consumers more closely to ensure we have a facility that is adaptable to the consumer journey inclusive of different levels of acuity.

“The new facility will not only enable good workflow and best practice, its new location will ensure that the inpatient service is closer to the other services in the main hospital and integrated family health centre,” Rob Ojala says.

The 6-bedroom facility will be aligned to contemporary best practice and Ministry of Health draft design guidance. Key features will include a glazed central courtyard and whare whakatau to welcome whānau/whaiora into the facility in a culturally appropriate way.

The majority of bedrooms will be on the west side of the building facing the sea, to take advantage of views and sunlight. Small lounges associated with the bedrooms will provide a range of breakout spaces and opportunities for small gatherings or individual reflection. The daily living area (lounge/dining) will open onto the central courtyard. When staff are not out on the floor engaging directly with consumers, they can still see through the courtyard into other areas.

The secure entrance will be located away from the public entrance, at the northern end of the building. The secure entrance will have direct access to the interview/assessment space, which will be linked to the low stimulus area or bedrooms clustered to support people with higher needs.

The inpatient service will acknowledge and enable the dimensions of Māori wellbeing as described in Te Whare Tapa Whā model.

Manaakitanga Inpatient Mental Health Unit will remain fully operational until the new $20M facility is completed.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 25 January 2022

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