On this page
- North Shore Hospital emergency department (ED)
- After hours and urgent medical centres
- Hospital contact information
- Visiting hours
- How to get to hospital
- Parking information
- North Shore Hospital facilities
- Departments and services
- North Shore Hospital maps
- Patient and visitor information
- Your stay in hospital
- Feedback
After hours and urgent medical centres
If your health emergency is not life threatening, but you cannot wait for an appointment with your usual doctor or healthcare provider, go to an after hours or urgent medical centre. They can help you with things like bad cuts, sprains or breaks, minor head injuries, or if you are feeling really sick. You do not need an appointment but might have to wait.
North Auckland accident and urgent medical care — Healthpointexternal link
Hospital contact information
For patient enquiries and all departments call either:
- 09 486 8900
- 0800 809 342 — for West and North Auckland residents only
- Street address
- 124 Shakespeare Road
- Takapuna
- Auckland
- Postal address
- Health NZ Waitematā
- Private Bag 93503
- Takapuna
- Auckland 0740
- Patient and personal record requests
- Patient clinical record requests
Visiting hours
Visiting hours vary for each of the wards in the hospital. Select a department or service to find out more.
How to get to hospital
Select the map above to get directions to the hospital from your location.
If you are coming from State Highway 1 (heading north from Auckland city, or south from Albany):
- Take exit 419.
- Turn:
- right onto Northcote Road from Auckland city
- left onto Northcote Road from Albany.
- Turn left onto Taharoto Road.
- Turn right into Shakespeare Road.
There are 2 bus stops located on both sides of Hospital Road near the main entrance.
There are many bus stops located in surrounding streets including the Smales Farm bus station.
Visit the Auckland Transport website for bus routes and timetables.
Bus Train Ferry — Auckland Transportexternal link
A taxi rank is centrally located in the North Shore Hospital grounds on the carpark side of Hospital Road.
For patients unable to walk to a taxi, a volunteer or receptionist at the hospital’s ground floor main entrance will call a taxi.
The Total Mobility Scheme may be able to help with subsidised taxi fares. Go to the Auckland Transport website for more information.
Total Mobility Scheme — Auckland Transportexternal link
The National Travel Assistance Scheme helps people who need to travel long distances or travel frequently for health appointments.
The National Travel Assistance
The Hato Hone St John Waka Ora Health Shuttle is a community service that transports people to and from medical and health-related appointments. The service is run by volunteers. A donation is greatly appreciated to help cover costs.
The health shuttle operates a service for Waitakere residents to health-appointments in West Auckland.
To make a booking for Hato Hone St John Health Shuttles (bookings close at 3pm on the day before travel), call 0800 103 046
Waka Ora Health Shuttles — Hato Hone St Johnexternal link
The free visitor shuttle travels regularly between Waitakere Hospital and North Shore Hospital, Monday to Friday.
Bookings are essential and must be made 24 hours before transport is required.
To make a booking call 0800 101 190
Timetable
The shuttles depart from outside the main entrance of each hospital building.
Departure times are the same for both North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals.
- 10:10am
- 11:10am
- 12:10pm
- 1:10pm
- 2:10pm
- 5:10pm
It takes around 30 minutes to get to the other hospital, depending on traffic.
This shuttle is for visitors only. Patients must use the 'Community to hospital patient shuttle'.
The Community to hospital patient shuttle is an on-demand service for outpatient appointments. People visiting patients can use this service if seating is available.
The shuttle runs between 9:30am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Bookings are essential and must be made at least 3 working days in advance. Call either number to book:
- 09 426 0918 press 5
- 0800 809 342 press 5.
Rodney and Hibiscus Coast residents
You can use the shuttle if you live in Rodney or Hibiscus Coast and your appointment is at:
- North Shore Hospital
- Waitakere Hospital
- Auckland City Hospital
- Greenlane Clinical Centre.
Rodney and Hibiscus shuttle cost
The return cost is:
- $15 to and from North Shore Hospital
- $30 to and from Waitakere and Auckland City Hospitals and Greenlane Clinical Centre.
Rodney and Hibiscus shuttle timetable
The shuttle can take you to:
- North Shore Hospital — between 9:30am and 2:30pm
- Waitakere Hospital — between 10am and 1pm
- Auckland City Hospital — between 10am and 1pm
- Greenlane Clinical Centre — between 10am and 1pm.
The shuttle has 2 set return times from each site.
- North Shore Hospital — 1pm and 3:30pm
- Waitakere Hospital — 12pm and 2:30pm
- Auckland City Hospital — 12:45pm and 3:15pm
- Greenlane Clinical Centre — 12:30pm and 3pm.
West Auckland Residents
You can use the shuttle if you live in West Auckland and your appointment is at:
- North Shore Hospital
- Auckland City Hospital
- Greenlane Clinical Centre.
West Auckland shuttle cost
The shuttle costs $12 return, or $6 one way.
Tamariki under 13 are free.
West Auckland shuttle timetable
The shuttle can take you to:
- North Shore Hospital — between 9:30am and 2:30pm
- Auckland City Hospital — between 9:30am and 1:30pm
- Greenlane Clinical Centre — between 9am and 1pm.
The shuttle has 2 set return times from each site.
- North Shore Hospital — 1pm and 3:30pm
- Auckland City Hospital — 12:45pm and 3:15pm
- Greenlane Clinical Centre — 12:30pm and 3pm.
North Shore residents
You can use the shuttle if you live in North Shore and your appointment is at:
- Waitakere Hospital
- Auckland Hospital
- Greenland Clinical Centre.
North Shore shuttle cost
The shuttle costs $12 for a return trip to all locations.
One-way trips to or from Waitakere Hospital are available for $6.
North Shore shuttle timetable
North Shore Hospital is the pick-up and drop-off point for all North Shore residents.
The shuttle is available between 9:30am and 4pm.
Parking information
A parking building is available close to the entrance of the hospital.
Parking charges apply 24/7.
Take a parking ticket from the barrier when you arrive at the hospital. Take your ticket with you and pay before returning to your car.
The amount you will pay depends on how long you are in the car park for.
- Up to 20 minutes — free
- 20 minutes to 1 hour — $4
- 1 hour to 2 hours — $8.20
- 2 to 3 hours — $12.20
- 3 to 4 hours — $16.40
- Over 4 hours — $20.40
- Maximum daily charge — $20.40
If you have lost your ticket you will pay the maximum daily charge of $20.40.
Pay stations
Pay stations are located at:
- the main entrance to the hospital
- Entrance 4
- by the lifts on the ground floor of the parking building
- the entrance to Tōtara Haumaru.
Compassionate parking
Talk to the Charge nurse manager, or Nurse coordinator after hours, if you need help with parking costs.
Parking is free for motorcycles and bicycles.
Motorcycles
Take a parking ticket from the barrier when you arrive at the hospital. When leaving, go to the barrier and talk with Traffic Services using the intercom — they will raise the barrier for you.
Motorcycle parking is located on the lower ground floor of the parking building.
Bicycles
Bicycles use the pedestrian access points to enter and exit the campus. Please share the footpath with care.
Cycle racks are available by Entrance 4.
Mobility car parks are available to anyone who displays a valid mobility parking permit.
If you need help and would like to speak to the parking staff call 0800 101 190
If you are hearing impaired you can text 021 274 0617 or 021 591 258 to advise the traffic services team of any special needs that you may have before you arrive.
There are 2 charging bays in the bottom level of the parking building.
North Shore Hospital facilities
Cafés
Habitat
Located in the main hospital entrance.
Opening hours:
- 7am to 5pm weekdays
- 9am to 4pm weekends
Espresso Alley
Located in the main hospital foyer.
Opening hours:
- 6:30am to 8pm weekdays
- 7:30am to 5pm weekends and public holidays
Vending machines
Vending machines available for snacks, confectionary and drinks after hours. These are located in the main lobby.
Pharmacy
ATM
Spiritual care
The chaplains are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. Chaplaincy service is available 24/7 through the on-call chaplain — who you can call on either:
- 09 486 8920
- 021 2452 8186 — no text messages.
Our Ahurewa Spiritual Centre is open to all visitors and is located on the third floor of the tower block. It serves as a base for our chaplains and a welcoming space for patients, whānau, and staff. The centre is inclusive of all faiths, and everyone is encouraged to make use of it.
The centre also houses the Chapel of St. Luke, where:
- ecumenical services are held every Sunday at 11am
- a Catholic Mass is held on the first Sunday of each month.
All are welcome to attend.
The spiritual centre features a prayer room, a quiet room, and 2 seminar rooms.
Patient and visitor information
Our hospital is a Smokefree environment and workplace. This means smoking is not allowed in any building or surrounding grounds.
Help, advice and nicotine replacement therapy are available if you want to stop smoking — just ask ward staff.
Smokefree service — Auckland (West and North)
Let your healthcare provider know if you need an interpreter.
At our Auckland (West and North) locations we use WATIS Interpreting Service, run by Asian and Ethnic Health Services. WATIS Interpreting Service:
- provides interpreting services for our hospital and community-based services
- provides a 24/7 service
- contracts more than 200 interpreters
WATIS covers 142+ languages and dialects including:
- NZ Sign Language
- Asian
- Pacific
- European
- Middle Eastern
- African
Languages available for WATIS — Asian and Ethnic Health Servicesexternal link
Māori health services aim to improve health status of Māori by:
- helping hospitals cater for Māori
- retaining Māori who become healthcare professionals
- improving healthcare practices so that Māori values are respected.
The introduction of practices based on Tikanga Māori have made a significant contribution to Māori Health across the region. Find out more about our services.
He Kamaka Waiora Māori health services — Healthpointexternal link
Whanau Ora Cancer care service — Healthpointexternal link
Whitiki Maurea - Maori Mental Health and Addictions Service — Healthpointexternal link
Our Pacific health service aspires to ensure all Pacific patients and their families receive holistic, culturally responsive quality and safe care.
Our team understand and value the role of our Pacific heritage, culture, norms and protocols and familial connections to Pacific families living in the Pacific islands and abroad. We strive to ensure all Pacific patients and families accessing our hospital and specialist services feel welcome, safe, valued, heard, understood, informed and involved in the decisions regarding their care.
Find out more about our Pacific health services, including contact details.
Asian Ethnic Health Services (AEHS) provides:
- communication (language) support to Waitematā district staff and Asian and ethnic patients, clients and their whānau using our services
- emotional and coordination support to Asian and ethnic patients and clients
- cultural workshops and trainings to staff to enhance cultural competence working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population.
AEHS aims to improve access to:
- health services and health information for Asian and other ethnic populations
- primary and secondary health services for non-English speaking patients.
Asian and Ethnic Health Servicesexternal link
Services
- Asian Health Line 0800 888 830
- Asian Breast Screening Support Service
- Asian Patient Support Service
- Asian Mental Health Service
- WATIS — Waitemata Translation and Interpreting Service
- Health promotions and cultural workshops
- Asian perinatal wellbeing programme
We are required to follow a number of rules when collecting, using and storing health information.
Informed consent is the process of exchanging information so that a patient can make an informed decision about their healthcare options, including the option of refusing the treatment, procedure or intervention.
Preventing falls is a major focus for every hospital as patients can be unsteady on their feet while in the recovery stage.
Non-slip socks
Non-slip socks are available to help keep you from slipping. Ask your nurse for a pair.
Other ways to prevent falls
Use the call bell to get help with:
- getting up and walking until you feel confident to manage alone
- lowering a bed rail before getting out of bed — do not try to move around the rail.
Do not walk on your own if you feel dizzy, weak, tired, or generally unwell.
Wear securely fitting slippers with a non-slip sole and no trailing laces.
If you wear glasses, put them on before moving.
Make sure you know where you are going — ask for help until you are sure of your way.
If you have anything to carry, ask the staff for help until you feel completely stable on your feet.
If you have a catheter bag, make sure it is fitted securely to your leg and is not likely to drop on the floor and trip you up.
Make sure pajama bottoms are tied securely and are not likely to fall down and trip you up.
Your privacy, dignity, spiritual and cultural beliefs will be respected at all times.
Bathrooms and toilets are designed to provide a range of facilities appropriate to your care while offering maximum privacy.
Wherever possible we aim to accommodate patients in same-sex accommodation. Sometimes this is not possible, but staff will make sure your privacy and dignity are maintained if you are sharing an area with members of the opposite sex.
The security team aims to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff and visitors. They patrol inside the hospital, the grounds and car parks 24/7. They also work with traffic staff, police and ambulance officers to provide added assistance should a situation occur.
Access control
All staff carry Health NZ identification cards that should be visible.
To gain access to the wards after visiting times contact the ward for permission and security will be contacted to escort visitors after hours.
CCTV (Security Cameras)
For safety and protection, CCTV operates in both hospitals, outside and inside the grounds
Fire drill
Fire and disaster drills are conducted regularly. Follow staff instructions and do not panic if an alarm sounds.
Valuables
We recommend you leave your valuables at home.
A lockable drawer is available in most bedside lockers if you have valuables on you when you arrive at hospital. Ask the nurses for a key and remember to return it before you leave hospital.
We cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to personal property kept at the bedside.
Zero tolerance to violence
We have a zero tolerance attitude to violence and aggression.
Tell nursing staff if you experience violence or aggression.
Hospital-acquired infections are considered patient harm. When they do occur, we follow up to ensure we understand the cause and how we may be able to minimise occurrences in the future.
Washing hands is a major focus for our staff — feel free to ask if they have washed their hands.
Hand sanitisers are provided throughout the hospital for everyone to use.
Staff are responsible for making sure your bed and ward area are cleaned regularly. If you are not happy with the standard of cleanliness or see that something has been missed, report this to the nurse in charge.
Patients and visitors can help us to keep people safe by:
- bringing in your own toiletries and not sharing them
- washing and drying your hands thoroughly, before and after eating, after using the bathroom or changing nappies — ask a nurse for hand wipes or gel if you cannot reach a sink
- keeping the top of your locker or bed side table free from clutter so it can be cleaned properly
- using hand sanitiser before entering and after leaving clinical areas
- using hand sanitiser before and after touching patients and surfaces
- not coming into hospital if you feel unwell in any way as you will be exposing already sick patients to risk of infection
- supervising tamariki at all times when they come to hospital
- not bringing items into hospital that could carry infection to patients or the clinical environment, such as flowers, plants, toys.
Tell us about your pain
Tell your healthcare provider if you are in pain. Remember, it is:
- OK to ask for pain relief
- easier to manage pain early.
Know your pain
To help manage your pain early, tell us:
- where the pain is
- when it is worst
- what makes it better and worse
- how it feels, such as sharp, dull, stabbing or burning
- how much pain you are in when resting and moving — try using the pain scale of 0 no pain to 10 worst pain possible.
Pain medicines
We may not be able to take away all your pain but can help you manage it. If you are taking pain medicines, ask:
- do I need them
- how they work and how to take them
- about side effects and how to manage them.
Paracetamol (such as Panadol®, Paracare®) is good by itself for mild pain. For stronger pain it is given regularly and will help reduce the amount of stronger pain medicines you might need. Strong pain medicines can only be prescribed by a doctor and include:
- tramadol
- codeine
- oxycodone
- morphine.
Paracetamol is not addictive, but strong pain medicines can be. Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any concerns about this.
Tablets or liquids are the most common and easy way to take medicines. Sometimes an injection or drip may be used — ask your nurse if this is right for you.
Other ways to help manage your pain could include:
- special ways of moving or coughing
- breathing techniques
- music.
Side effects
Pain medicines are effective but can also cause side effects. To help reduce these, let us know if you:
- use other medicines at home
- are allergic to any medicines.
Some side effects you need tell your healthcare provider include if you:
- have not pooed (had a bowel motion) in the last 24 hours
- have darker than usual poos
- are feeling sick (nausea) or throwing up (vomiting)
- have things that look like coffee grounds come out when you throw up
- feel more sleepy or dizzy than usual.
Prepare for home
Before you leave hospital make sure you ask:
- how much pain you can expect
- when should it get better
- how long you should be on pain medication
- what you can do to reduce pain
- about any symptoms or side effects you need to watch out for and what to do if you get them.
You will generally get a prescription for 3 to 5 days of pain medication when you leave hospital. Talk to your main healthcare provider if your pain continues.
Every ward has a Quality board that displays information about the quality of services we provide.
Quality boards are regularly updated to provide information about our work to ensure patient safety and improve patient and staff experience. They provide figures to show you how well wards are performing and what we are doing to continuously improve.
Quality boards also have the name and contact number of the Charge nurse manager for each ward so that you know who to contact with any questions or concerns.
We have plans in place to respond to emergencies, which can include:
- chemical spills
- clinical emergencies
- infectious disease outbreaks, such as Ebola
- external emergencies
- fire
- flood
- infrastructure emergencies
- security emergencies.
In case of emergency staff will keep you safe and informed.
Hospitals are busy environments and can be stressful for many people, particularly if you are unsure what to expect on the day.
You may want to wear a hidden disability (Sunflower) lanyard during your time with us if you have a disability that is not immediately obvious to our staff, such as:
- autism
- dementia
- a hearing impairment
- anxiety
- or one of the many invisible disabilities.
Our staff recognise the Sunflower lanyard and can provide you with help you may need at the different stages of your time with us. If you are feeling overwhelmed, staff can slow down a process for you and offer extra assurance.
A Sunflower lanyard does not provide a fast track through queues or provide you with a staff escort through the hospital.
What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower? — YouTubeexternal link
How to get a lanyard
You can buy a Sunflower lanyard from Hidden Disabilities.
Once you receive a Sunflower lanyard it is yours to keep and use for future journeys or outings where the scheme is recognised.
Hidden Disabilitiesexternal link