Visiting Hours

Palmerston North Hospital

Horowhenua Health Centre

General Information

If you are currently unwell, please do not visit patients until you are well again. This is for your safety as well as our patients.

• All MidCentral sites are Smoke-free for patients, visitors and staff.
• Te Whatu Ora MidCentral is committed to providing a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors. All patient visitors must be aware of, and comply with, Health and Safety requirements and any other MidCentral guidelines to ensure this.
• It is recommended that visitors to healthcare services wear a medical mask when visiting patients who are in respiratory isolation or who have an infective respiratory condition. Visitors may choose to wear a mask based on their own health needs and risks at any time.
• It is recommended that visitors do not visit patients if they have tested positive for Covid-19 or have acute symptoms of respiratory illness. If this is not possible, masks should be worn.
• Masks, hand sanitiser and signage will remain in place at key entrances to health facilities.
• Patients are allowed multiple visitors over the age of 12, with a few conditions (see below, and department exceptions).
• If a patient is a parent (or caregiver) of a child under 12 years old, they are welcome to come and visit them. We request that other children under 12 are not brought on site.
• Support people who are a part of our Mahi Tahi Kaimanaaki (a partner in care) programme can visit at any time, including outside of visitor hours. The only exception is if you are currently unwell or required to isolate due to a positive COVID-19 test.
• Any decisions or exceptions to this policy will be decided by the Charge Nurse/Midwife Manager on the ward in question.

Emergency Department

•  Within the Emergency Department patients may only have one support person (and no additional visitors at the same time) due to space and crowding restrictions. This is at all hours.

Neonatal Unit

• Any two visitors over the age of 12 years old are welcome to visit.
• Visitors under the age of 12 years old are unfortunately not able to visit. If families have been admitted to the Neonatal Unit for more than a week, visits from the baby’s siblings can be arranged please discuss with your nurse.
• If a mother is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19, then unfortunately visitors are not appropriate. Any requests for visitors will need to be discussed and planned for with the Charge Nurse, Consultant and Infection Prevention and Control team.

Children’s Ward

• One parent or caregiver can stay with the patient overnight.
• During the hours of 8am-8pm, any two visitors over the age of 12 years old are welcome to visit.
• Siblings (under 12 years old) of a patient can visit between 2pm-8pm. This is in addition to the two visitors. Under 12-year-olds who are not the patient’s siblings are unfortunately not able to visit.

OPAL Unit – COVID-19 Surge Advice

• Patients on the OPAL Unit are vulnerable, so visiting hours are restricted to 12pm – 8pm daily. Exceptions to this need to be approved by the nurse in charge.
• Maximum of two visitors per patient.

For more details and policies please contact the appropriate MidCentral facility.