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

Māori and Pasifika health

  1. Home
  2. Your health
  3. Māori and Pasifika health

Community Māori health providers

Information about different Māori health providers around Canterbury and the services they... read more about Community Māori health providers»

Did you know there are Māori health teams in hospital services?

Find out about your options for Māori health services at Community & Public Health, the National Breast & Cervical... read more about Did you know there are Māori health teams in hospital services?»

Gear Up Against Legionella

Cases of Legionnaires’ disease typically increase during the months of September, October and November during... read more about Gear Up Against Legionella»

Tags

Help for children whose parents have a mental illness or addiction

There are people and organisations that can help you. If you, or a child you know, needs help to cope with a family... read more about Help for children whose parents have a mental illness or addiction»

How to get a free B4 School Check for your child

The B4 School Check is the final Well Child Tamariki Ora free health and development check for your 4-year-old. It’s... read more about How to get a free B4 School Check for your child»

Is immunisation safe for children?

The evidence is clear: Immunisation is safe, and protects your child from some serious diseases and helps to stop those... read more about Is immunisation safe for children?»

Māori and Pasifika health

Māori and Pasifika health on HealthInfo site. Please note: There's a comprehensive section of related information re... read more about Māori and Pasifika health»

Tags

Older people can get depressed too. Find out how to manage it

Depression is not a normal part of ageing and it is not a character weakness. It is a medical illness for which there... read more about Older people can get depressed too. Find out how to manage it»

Serious injuries and disabilities

This ACC website provides information and help for people affected by injury-related disabilities. It includes common... read more about Serious injuries and disabilities»

What is Well Child Tamariki Ora?

Well Child Tamariki Ora is a free programme providing a series of free health visits and support for families with... read more about What is Well Child Tamariki Ora?»

Work outdoors? Keep yourself safe from solar radiation

Radiation from the sun is like any other workplace hazard: it needs to be minimised to reduce risk. Worksafe has some... read more about Work outdoors? Keep yourself safe from solar radiation»

Showing 1-11 of 11 results, page 1 of 1.

Page last updated: 24 September 2021

Is this page useful?