Visiting hours, rules and tips

Restricted visiting

While we are in the new COVID-19 protection framework, the Lakes DHB services, including the Rotorua and Taupō Hospitals, will remain open and operate normally where possible, while managing public health risks.

All visitors to our healthcare facilities must have no confirmation or suspicion of COVID-19. In addition, all visitors will be screened prior to entry to ensure they are well, and must wear a face mask or covering, observe strict hand hygiene, practice physical distancing, and scan or sign in on arrival.

Visiting hours: 11am–1pm and 4pm-7pm daily.

• Patients in all areas of the hospital may receive one visitor per visiting slot. This person can be different for each slot but no swap outs.
• Children under-5 are not encouraged to visit.
• For patients receiving end-of-life care a roster of visitors (only two at a time) may be arranged.
• Birthing: A person in labour or birth may have one nominated support person.
• Following birth, one nominated support person at a time may visit once daily and stay as long as the person who has given birth wants.
• Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU): Māmā and one nominated support person can visit any baby in the SCBU per day.
• Tamariki: Two parents or guardians may visit any hospitalised child.

Clinical Nurse Managers, Clinical Midwife Managers or Duty Nurse Managers will consider additional requests on a case-by-case basis for compassionate reasons.

Emergency Department

Our ED remains open for urgent care, but there will be restricted access for support people or visitors.

Requests outside of the Visitor Policy will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. You will be requested to wear a mask during your time in the Emergency Department.

Hospital café access changes under the traffic light system

The main change at Rotorua is that the café is open to all staff and patients and visitors who have a vaccine passport.

Please follow the rules as this will help us all return to normal more quickly.

Guidelines when visiting our hospitals

Please help us to do this by following these guidelines.

Be considerate

Please show consideration and respect for all patients and the staff caring for them. This will help us to deliver the best patient care for everyone in a shared environment which caters to the needs of many.

Follow staff requests

From time to time staff may approach you and ask you to respond to a specific request in line with our Visiting Patients guideline.

Please co-operate with these requests, they are not meant to offend, but to ensure we can deliver the best care to patients.

Staff may ask you to leave the bedside for a short period to protect the privacy rights of other patients or to maintain safety and security.

No photos without permission

It is our intention to maintain patients’ rights to privacy at all times. Please be mindful when taking photos or video and do not take photos or videos of patients, visitors or staff without their permission.

No smoking or vaping on DHB grounds or in facilities

Absolutely no smoking or vaping anywhere on DHB grounds. Find out more about getting help to quit smoking.

Too many visitors?

The number of people welcomed at the bedside at any one time will be determined by staff in collaboration with the patient and family.

Where patients are in shared rooms, staff may also discuss the matter with other patient/s and their key support people.

To ensure wellbeing and safety, consideration will also be given to the physical limitations of the space.

You may find it easier to nominate a key support person or spokesperson for your group as this could ease communication.

Feeling unwell?

If you are feeling unwell, have an infection, have a runny nose, cold or flu-like illnesses or have or have been exposed to contagious illnesses, e.g. chicken pox or measles within the past three weeks, please do not come to the hospital or facility.

Hand hygiene

For the safety of our patients, we require visitors and key support people to clean their hands with soap and water or gel hand rub when entering and leaving the ward and patient’s room.

In certain circumstances visitors and key support people may be asked to comply with other requirements in the interests of patient safety.

Sharing visitor areas

In common areas, e.g. shared rooms, waiting areas and visitor lounges, please be mindful of other visitors’ and families’ need for space.

Waiting areas and visitor lounges are not designed for overnight stays.