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

Preparing for your stay

To keep everybody safe from COVID-19 and other infections, a general ‘no-visitors’ policy applies in all West Coast DHB facilities

This means that patients who know in advance they are going to have to stay overnight must bring all items they will need for the duration of their stay. They will need to bring appropriate sleepwear, suitable indoor footwear, and items that would usually be brought by visitors, such as books, magazines, puzzles and packaged snacks that don’t need to be kept in the fridge.

Because they can’t have visitors, people should also bring mobile phones and/or tablets if they can, to enable them to connect with family/whānau and friends remotely – free WiFi is available for patients to use.

To those whānau members who would normally visit their family member at the health facility

We are sorry that we have to restrict visiting, but this necessary measure is to protect you and the vulnerable people already in the facility from the spread of COVID-19.

We understand it will be difficult for you to be unable to provide the support you normally would, but please be assured people are being well cared for and we will do our best to help you keep up-to-date and in touch.

Appointments

Your Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre visit is arranged by your general practitioner or a specialist.

The Arranged Admitting Office will give you an appointment time, a questionnaire for your anaesthetic (if you are having surgery), and an admission form. Please complete these forms before your appointment.

You can be admitted for:

  • Day surgery: You will have your operation or procedure, and go home on the same day. If you need extra time at the facility we will admit you to an overnight ward.
  • Day of Surgery Admission (DOSA): You will have your operation on the same day you come to the health facility, but may stay for a day or more after the operation.
  • General admission: You will come to Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre a day or so before your operation, and stay as long as needed to recover from your operation.

Bookings

The Central Booking Unit (CBU) organises your visits for specialist consultations and operations.

After your doctor refers you to a specialist, a CBU booking clerk will send you a letter when an appointment time is available.

To confirm an appointment, or if you have any questions, call the CBU confirmation line on (03) 769 7555.

You will have a consultation with a specialist, who will discuss some of the following options with you:

  • Seeing you again as an outpatient
  • Referring you to Laboratory for tests, Radiology, Physiotherapy
  • Referring you to another specialist
  • Referring you back to your GP
  • No further appointment needed
  • Surgery

Elective surgery guide

To book an appointment with your GP, please contact your general practice team.

Find and enrol at a medical practice, clinic or health centre

You can also manage your own health care online using MyIndici, a secure online service available through your general practice.

MyIndici – Managing your own health care online

Cancellations/Postponements

If you need to cancel or postpone your surgery or appointment because you are unwell, please call the phone number on your appointment letter as soon as possible and let the department know.

Due to emergencies we sometimes need to postpone bookings at short notice. It may be necessary to postpone your surgery even after you have been admitted for hospital care. We will book your surgery into the next available time slot.

You can help your own recovery by learning about your condition on our HealthInfo West Coast website.

Open Hours (24 hours a day)

The main reception area at Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre is available 24 hours a day.  (Please note: If you are looking for additional information about Buller Health visit our Buller Health facility page).  For security after-hours access to the facility is via main entrances.  If the main doors don’t automatically open, please use the telephone on the wall and call “O” for operator assistance.  If you need help finding your way, the main reception is a very good place to start.

Meals on Wheels and home help

If you have been using Meals on Wheels, home help or District Nursing services please contact the service before you come into Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre.

If you have a disability

If you have a disability and you are likely to require extra help during your hospital admission or at your Outpatient appointment, please plan your visit. We suggest you telephone prior to your arrival and ask to speak to the relevant service so that you and staff can plan for your individual needs.

If you require assistance with hearing, sight or other disabilities, please talk to your nurse.

For Hearing-impaired patients there are faxes located in each unit and these are available for hearing the hearing-impaired patient’s to assist communication with friends and family/whanau. There is also access to interpreters for the hearing-impaired and the West Coast District Health Board has communication cards available to assist.

If you have visual impairment, please tell a staff member so information given to you will be suitable for your needs. 

Disabled people using appropriately certified canines as aides have access to hospital facilities.

Wheelchairs

Are located at all the main entrances to all hospitals, if you need a wheelchair and none are available, please ask the receptionist at the main desk.  All entrances are wheelchair accessible via a ramped walkway, which has a graduated gradient, as well as landing and handrails on both sides.

Accessibility toilets

There are toilets and showers in the ward and at Outpatients that have wheelchair access.

Bringing valuables

Please do not bring any valuables into the health facility unless absolutely necessary (including valuable items of clothing). If necessary, we can store valuables and money in a locked cupboard or deposit them in the facility’s safe. Any personal belongings you bring to Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre are at your own risk, and West Coast DHB does not accept any responsibility for safeguarding any personal items that you bring into the building.

Everybody coming to the facility

  • Comfortable day clothes
  • Shoes/trainers
  • Glasses, hearing aids and dentures. Bring the cases for your glasses and hearing aid so you can put them away safely
  • Book/eBook reader/tablet/mobile phone, charger. Please be considerate of others and keep all electronic devices on silent/vibrate and use headphones if listening. Most facility areas have free Wi-Fi
  • If you have equipment to support your mobility such as a walking aid, please name this and bring it with you
  • Smoking and vaping is not allowed. Find out how we can help you be smokefree while at the hospital or health centre
  • Please do not bring valuable items such as jewellery or large sums of money

 Please note: cell phones interfere with medical equipment at close range. Please turn off your phone within 1 metre of medical equipment.


Medicines

  • Bring your medicines (including medicines bought at the supermarket and pharmacy, and natural medicine) when you come to the facility, especially if you have to come unexpectedly
  • Bring your medication list (yellow card) if you have one
  • The medications will not be used during your stay as a patient, except as a temporary measure until we can obtain a supply. We will then store your own medications in a dedicated area on the ward
  • If you have any questions, please talk to your nurse, doctor, or the ward pharmacist

Patients staying overnight (inpatients)

  • We recommend you name any personal items you need to bring into the facility for your stay
  • Night-dress or pyjamas for sleeping. You can also bring your own pillow and pillow case (blue pillow cases are provided for the head)
  • Toiletry items, such as toothbrush, toothpaste etc
  • Spare clothes
  • Please make arrangements for a friend or relative to do your personal laundry if you will be staying a long time
  • If you wear dentures, please bring your cleaning container
  • Cancel services such as Meals on Wheels, home help and newspaper delivery for the time you are a patient at this facility
  • Ask a trusted neighbour or friend to collect your mail

  • You can bring a support person with you
  • Let your family and friends know where you are
  • Ask someone to check your house and look after your pets
  • Bring important documents such as power of attorney or end of life directives so everyone
  • knows what your wishes are if you cannot communicate
  • Organise someone to bring a change of clothing and do your laundry if needed
  • Organise someone to take you home when you are ready

When you should go to the Emergency Department

The Emergency Department is for serious emergencies only, not for long-standing or minor injuries or illnesses which can be treated by your family general practice team [link to info page]. You can phone your local clinic at any time and talk to a registered nurse for advice.

Free public Wi-Fi

Free public Wi-Fi internet access is available in West Coast DHB hospitals and facilities.

​Instructions to use the free Wi-Fi service

  1. When you turn on your Wi-Fi on your mobile device or laptop computer, 
    select DHB Public Wi-Fi from the list of options. 
  2. You will be able to browse the internet or access your emails.​ 

For more information read our Wi-Fi FAQs below

​​Wi-fi Frequently Asked Questions

How easy is it to use and how reliable is the service?

Full instructions to access free Wi-Fi​ will be provided via a number of different ways including this website. The service will be reliable as it is delivered over high-speed fibre infrastructure. However, priority will be given to clinical data.

Who is paying for the service?

​​​West Coast DHB provides the infrastructure and 2degrees provides the internet feed.

What restrictions are there?
  • ​​ Sites and content deemed inappropriate will be blocked when using the service
  • It is not possible to download movies and other large files
  • Content accessed by people within West Coast DHB facilities on their own network is subject to West Coast DHB policy.

 

Mail and newspapers at Te Nīkau, Grey Hospital & Health Centre

Patient mail is delivered to the wards daily. You can buy stamps at the cafeteria. There is a post box in the foyer at the main entrance.

Newspapers are available in an honesty box in the foyer.

 

Television, radio and electronics

There are TVs in most lounge areas. If you use a TV or radio in your ward room, please check if it is OK with other patients first, or use earphones.

For safety reasons, an electrician must check all privately owned electronic appliances (such as TVs, radios, hairdryers) before use in the facility. Local electrical shops can check appliances and provide a certificate.

Page last updated: 23 November 2023

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