West Coast DHB’s COVID-19 community-based assessment centres (CBACs) have reduced their hours and are now open on weekdays only,” says David Smith, Manager of Integrated Services – Southern.
“Anyone who develops symptoms over the weekend can safely wait until Monday to attend their closest CBAC but it is advisable that they self-isolate during this time. The average turn around for COVID-19 test results is within 48 hours with results provided by general practice teams.
Over the next few weeks, we will regularly review the hours of operation and depending on the level of demand will make any further changes as required, but for the time being the CBACs will operate for as long as required,” Mr Smith says.
The open hours for our four CBACs located in Greymouth, Westport, Reefton and Hokitika are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm with all centres closed between 12pm and 12.30pm. On arrival at all of our CBACs, we ask people to remain in their vehicle where they will be assessed by our staff.
Please call your general practice team or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 – high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention. Remember, if it is an emergency – phone 111.
Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe. You can help reduce the spread of any infections by practicing safe physical distancing, good hand hygiene and appropriate coughing or sneezing etiquette.
ENDS
Please note: COVID-19 testing rates are available on the Ministry of Health website
As we settle into Alert Level 2, and more of us are getting out and about our best defence against the spread of COVID-19 is to continue engaging in physical distancing protocols, so visitor restrictions still apply at all of our facilities, however some rules have been relaxed.
For most inpatient ward areas at Grey Base Hospital, it’s still one visitor at a time but we are now allowing more than one person to visit a patient each day during visiting hours. Each visitor can only visit once.
Visitors are now allowed in our high risk areas where our most vulnerable patients are or where patients are in isolation but this is confined to one visitor per patient per day. Exceptions may be made on compassionate grounds on a case-by-case basis for end of life care of patients who are not COVID-19 positive.
General family visits are allowed to all Aged Residential Care (ARC) facilities across the Coast but there are restrictions on the number of family members visiting and frequency of visiting. All visitors to ARC facilities will be assessed for symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and will be asked about their travel history and history of contact of people with COVID-19.
People who are self-isolating or who are unwell should remain at home and should not visit.
Visiting for maternity services under Alert Level 2 remains the same. Women who have had an elective caesarean section can have one support person. Women in labour in a maternity facility are allowed two nominated support people from their extended bubble for the duration of the labour and birth. For the duration of postnatal stays, women can have one named support person from the same bubble who can visit once per day for any length of time between 10am and 8pm.
For contact tracing purposes, all visitors will be screened at entrances to our facilities, and you will need to sign in and out.
“Good hand hygiene, covering coughs or sneezes and practicing safe physical distancing are all still vitally important,” says West Coast DHB Medical Director, Dr Graham Roper.
“Under Alert Level 2, for most inpatient ward areas only one person per patient can visit or support a member of your whānau who is unwell at a time, but we are now allowing more than one person to visit a patient each day during visiting hours. If you are planning to visit, we just ask that you follow the rules which have been put in place to protect you and others,” Dr Roper says.
This updated guidance came into effect at all West Coast DHB facilities from Thursday 14 May.
For more information on the visitor guidance for each West Coast DHB health facility, please visit the COVID-19 page on our website.
ENDS
West Coast DHB Registered Nurse Chris Hallaran assessing long-haul Truck Driver, Philip at the Springs Junction CBAC
West Coast DHB will continue undertaking COVID-19 sentinel testing as part of its response to the current pandemic to help determine if there are any undetected cases of COVID-19 on the Coast,” says Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton.
“So far, we have offered sentinel testing in Haast, Bruce Bay, Reefton and Springs Junction, and at Arahura marae. The community response has been fantastic and we thank everyone who turned up for their willingness to get involved.
Testing last week in Springs Junction provided a great opportunity for us to engage with long-haul truck drivers. Understanding where people are travelling from on their way through the Coast helps us build a better picture of what is happening across the Coast as well as other South Island communities.”
“On advice from the Ministry of Health, we are currently looking at offering testing to workplaces where employees travel regularly from other locations to work on the Coast.”
“Our plans also extend to testing health care workers and offering further sentinel testing in other Coast communities as time and resources allow. Testing is voluntary, so no referral is needed as we are interested in testing people with or without COVID-19 symptoms,” Dr Brunton says.
If you think you have COVID symptoms, please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or phone your own doctor or local clinic; or contact Poutini Waiora (Māori Health and Social Service) – 0800 333 170. COVID-19 symptoms include high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe.
ENDS
Please note: All of the available data on testing rates is available on the Ministry of Health website.
Bishop Richard Wallace blessing Te Nīkau
Yesterday’s blessing of Te Nīkau Grey Hospital and Health Centre marks an important milestone for the West Coast Health System,” West Coast DHB’s Board Chair Rick Barker says.
“Yesterday, representatives from our two runanga – Te Runanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Runanga o Makaawhio – were joined by local Anglican and Catholic ministers to formally bless our new facility. The ceremony denotes an important step in welcoming our DHB staff into the facility to start their work and we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this celebration.”
The West Coast DHB will now start the 10-week operational readiness phase to prepare the new facility for migration. This will include a thorough facility clean followed by equipment installation, stocking of consumables and clinical supplies as well as completing information technology infrastructure works.
“The operational readiness and migration phases are dependent on our ongoing response to the current COVID-19 pandemic as the existing Grey Base Hospital must continue to be ready to respond to any local developments that may arise while we continue to operate under the current alert level system.”
“We are looking forward to preparing Te Nīkau Hospital and Health Centre for our West Coast community and will keep everyone informed about our progress with regular updates,” Mr Barker says.
Yesterday, representatives from our two runanga – Te Runanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Runanga o Makaawhio – were joined by local Anglican and Catholic ministers to formally bless our new facility.
ENDS
West Coast DHB will be undertaking COVID-19 sentinel testing in Reefton and Springs Junction on Tuesday, 5 May 2020, says Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton.
“Residents from these two communities who want to be tested can come along to their nearest mobile testing station. No referral is needed as we are interesting in testing people with or without COVID-19 symptoms.
“If you are planning to come along, we ask that you stay in your car and our staff will come to you to get your details and answer any questions before you are tested. This will involve inserting a long swab (like an extended cotton bud) up one of your nostrils so a sample can be taken from the back of your nose/throat.”
Reefton’s testing station will be operating from 8.30am to 10.30am in the Reefton Racecourse’s Sports Complex building on Racecourse Road, Reefton and Springs Junction residents will find us in the G.A.S Station carpark on State Highway 7, Springs Junction between 1.00pm and 2.30pm.
“Sentinel testing helps us develop a better understanding of how and where COVID-19 is on the Coast and throughout New Zealand. We are currently finalising our plans for when and where future sentinel testing will take place across the Coast and will provide further information to the community shortly,” Dr Brunton says.
If you already have COVID-19 symptoms, please don’t wait until next Tuesday to get tested. Please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or phone your own doctor or local clinic; or contact Poutini Waiora (Māori Health and Social Service) – 0800 333 170. COVID-19 symptoms include high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe.
ENDS
Following recent discussions with the Ministry of Health, we will begin the 10-week operational readiness phase in preparation for the move to Te Nīkau Grey Hospital and Health Centre on Monday, 11 May 2020,” West Coast DHB’s Chief Executive David Meates says.
“The operational readiness phase is the period of time where we will be getting the facility ready.
This will include a thorough facility clean followed by equipment installation, stocking of consumables and clinical supplies as well as completing information technology infrastructure works.”
“To support our on-going planning and preparation, we will review our operational readiness progress on Monday, 25 May 2020. We will use this time to identify where we may need to allocate additional resources, for example, this might include contracting in additional support to assist in the installation of equipment.”
“The decision regarding our readiness to proceed to the migration phase which includes moving to the new facility will be made on Wednesday, 10 June 2020. At this time, we will be able to confirm the anticipated ‘go live’ date which is when the new facility will become operational and staff and patients will all have moved in,” Mr Meates says.
The operational readiness and migration timeframe is subject to change as it is dependent on factors such as our ongoing response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the existing Grey Base Hospital will need to remain ready to respond to any local developments that may arise while we continue to operate under the current alert level system.
“This is an exciting time for the West Coast Health System and we are looking forward to preparing Te Nīkau Hospital and Health Centre for our West Coast community,” says Mr Meates.
ENDS
West Coast DHB General Manager Philip Wheble today said that under alert level three, the West Coast Health System continues to provide health care services across the Coast under the same restrictions that were put in place under alert level four.
“The Health System across New Zealand adopted a consistent approach to preparing itself for the potential impact of COVID-19. This approach aligns to the national COVID-19 Alert System levels and necessitated that each DHB reduced non-urgent work to ensure that it had sufficient capacity to cope with an anticipated rise in patients with acute respiratory symptoms,” says Mr Wheble.
“Locally, we implemented a number of changes to how we provided health care in order to protect our community and staff during what continues to be a challenging and changing environment. These changes included restricting access to our facilities and increasing the number of virtual appointments via phone, text, email or video.
Virtual consultations have proven to be particularly useful to assist us to manage long term patients in both primary and secondary care and the feedback we have received from these has been positive. People who need to come in for a face-to-face consultation can still do so.”
“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we postponed elective surgeries as well as the majority of face-to-face elective outpatient appointments. People who had non-deferrable surgical procedures were given new dates. We are increasing elective activity from next week and plan to be providing 80% of pre-COVID-19 outpatient clinics from Monday, 11 May and expect to be operating at 100% capacity from Monday, 18 May 2020.
When we have sufficient surgical capacity to recommence booking of non-urgent deferrable surgery, we will prioritise bookings to ensure patients are seen as clinically appropriate, based on their needs. At this stage, subject to surgeon availability, we expect to be operating at 80% of pre-COVID-19 surgery volumes from Monday, 18 May 2020.”
“Had we not taken the actions we did there would have been very little capacity to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak on the West Coast if it had occurred. When the risks associated with COVID-19 decrease, outpatient clinic activity will increase again and face-to-face clinic appointments will recommence,” Mr Wheble says.
Because elective surgery and non-urgent face-to-face outpatient appointments were postponed, West Coast DHB is in a better position to manage the COVID-19 cases which may continue to occur in the coming months as the COVID-19 Alert System levels are altered.
“We understand that our prudent and cautious approach has resulted in an inconvenience for some patients who have had their access to treatment delayed, however, the vast majority of patients contacted when their appointment was postponed thanked our staff for the “better safe than sorry” approach which we have taken.”
“It’s vital that we continue to remain focused on reducing the opportunity for any infections to spread. I would like to thank people in advance for their cooperation and playing their part to keep our patients and staff safe,” Mr Wheble says.
Please call your general practice or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 – high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
If you are unwell, please do not go directly to a pharmacy, general practice or emergency department – ring your general practice team for advice. If it is an emergency – phone 111.
ENDS
As we settle into Alert Level 3, sticking to our bubble and staying home unless you need to go out is still our best defence against the spread of COVID-19, so visitor restrictions still apply at all of our facilities, however some rules have been relaxed.
For most inpatient ward areas at Grey Base Hospital, we are now allowing one nominated person from a patient’s ‘bubble’ to visit once per day during visiting hours. This person becomes the nominated visitor for the duration of a patient’s stay.
Visitors are still not allowed in high risk areas where our most vulnerable patients are or where patients are in isolation and this extends to all Aged Residential Care facilities across the Coast. Exceptions may be made on compassionate grounds on a case-by-case basis for end of life care of patients who are not COVID-19 positive.
People who are self-isolating or who are unwell should remain at home and should not visit.
Visiting for maternity services under Alert Level 3 has changed. Women who have had an elective caesarean section can have one support person. Women in labour in a maternity facility are allowed two nominated support people from their extended bubble for the duration of the labour and birth. For the duration of postnatal stays, women can have one named support person from the same bubble who can visit once per day for any length of time between 10am and 8pm.
Details of every visitor will be recorded upon arrival. This is to ensure that once nominated, only that person visits from then on and to allow rapid contact tracing if anyone they have been in contact with is later confirmed as having COVID-19.
“Practicing safe physical distancing, good hand hygiene and covering coughs or sneezes are all still vitally important,” says West Coast DHB Medical Director, Dr Graham Roper.
“Under Alert Level 3, for most inpatient ward areas one person per patient can visit or support a member of your whānau who is unwell, as long as you follow the rules which have been put in place to protect you and others. Some higher risk areas do not allow visiting at Alert Level 3, and we are still asking people not to visit the hospital or health centre if they don’t need to,” Dr Roper says.
This updated guidance is effective at all West Coast DHB facilities from today, Thursday 30 April.
The DHB’s website will be updated with all of the latest visitor guidance later today.
ENDS
People needing regular ongoing prescriptions can be reassured these are still available by ringing their general practice, and the medicines are available one month at a time through pharmacies,” Primary Health Organisation Executive Officer Helen Reriti says.
“It’s not unusual for those taking regular medicines to feel anxious about the continuity of medicine supply during the current COVID-19 situation.
“Ongoing regular prescriptions continue to be provided by our general practice teams – we do ask that people don’t ask for prescriptions unless they are due for renewal as there is no need to stockpile medications. We all have a role to play in keeping medicines available for our community.”
The Government agency responsible for deciding which medicines and medical devices are funded in New Zealand – PHARMAC, along with West Coast pharmacies and suppliers – are continuing to work closely together to maintain a continuous supply.
PHARMAC has advised pharmacies to dispense only one month’s supply at a time for all medicines.
“There are no changes to either how prescriptions are written at your general practice, or how prescriptions are charged at the pharmacy. You won’t need to visit your general practice team more frequently, it just means that your usual 3-month prescription is available once a month for three months, managed by the pharmacy. The medicine label will say if there are repeats (your second and third monthly supplies) available. You can phone the pharmacy to make arrangements for collection or delivery of these repeats,” Mrs Reriti says.
For anyone wanting to read more, here’s some information from Healthinfo and PHARMAC.
All West Coast general practices remain open for business during the current nationwide COVID-19 Alert Level 4. Although the majority of appointments are now being done virtually by phone, email, text or video it is important that people who need to come in for a face-to-face consultation do so.
Please call your general practice or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 – high temperature (at least 38°C), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, temporary loss of smell. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are like other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
If you are unwell, please do not go directly to a pharmacy, general practice or emergency department – ring your general practice team for advice.
For anyone who is feeling stressed and anxious or who needs some advice, then there are places you can CALL for more support, listed below:
Free online mental wellbeing resources
There are a number of free online apps, toolkits, and other digital resources available to help New Zealanders look after their mental wellbeing.
Remember, it’s important to seek immediate help in an emergency – don’t delay. If you are injured or experiencing severe symptoms it’s critical that you still call 111.
ENDS
Home and Community Support Worker Hiedi Richards.
West Coast DHB’s Home and Community Support Services team has continued to provide support to clients across the Coast during COVID-19 alert level 4,” Home and Community Support Services Manager Steve Johnston says.
“Prior to lockdown, we contacted all our clients – around 630 people – to find out what their support needs were and to identify any areas where we could potentially cut down household management if we needed to. By doing this, we were able to identify clients who could manage by themselves or who had other supports available to them.
“There were a number of instances where a family/whānau member moved in with their loved one to take care of them. This level of support from the community meant that we were able to reprioritise our services to ensure everyone continued to get the assistance they need during this time.”
On average, our team of 85 Support Workers make around 2,000 home visits each week supporting people with a range of activities like medication management, showering, falls risk assessments, cleaning and meal preparation.
“Early into lockdown, members of the community expressed concerned to some of the team because they were moving about in the community and entering someone else’s bubble. To address this, our Support Workers are now wearing vests identifying who they are and signage has been added to the vehicles.”
“Our Support Workers provide a really valuable Coast-wide service to the community. I am really proud of the team’s resilience, professionalism and courage especially as their combined efforts have gone a long way to making sure our clients remain well supported and connected,” Mr Johnston says.
ENDS
All West Coast general practices remain open for business during the current nationwide COVID-19 Alert Level 4. Although the majority of appointments are now being done virtually by phone, email, text or video it is important that people who need to come in for a face-to-face consultation do so.
Please don’t put off giving your general practice team a call if you require medical treatment. You may be offered a virtual consultation, but if it’s needed you will be given a face-to-face appointment.
It’s really important that anyone who is feeling unwell with any condition, call their general practice clinic to discuss their situation and symptoms during this lockdown period. This will ensure that you continue to access appropriate treatment and medication to help you stay well, even in isolation.
More than ever we need to look after our health, so it’s important we hear from our patients who may be feeling unwell, especially our older and more vulnerable community members.
Be sure to contact your general practice for regular appointments, updates on vaccinations and prescription renewals.
Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe. Some simple things that we can all do include:
For anyone who is feeling stressed and anxious or who needs some advice, then there are places you can CALL for more support, listed below:
If you need medical advice, call your general practice team 24/7 FIRST rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice.
Remember, it’s important to seek immediate help in an emergency – don’t delay. If you are injured or experiencing severe symptoms it’s critical that you still call 111.
ENDS
Canterbury and West Coast DHBs have made it easy for people to submit an expression of interest if they are not already employed by the DHBs but want to put their hand up and contribute to the COVID-19 response.
This has been set up to provide support to both the Canterbury and the West Coast Health systems.
“We’ve already received lots of offers of help from people who are willing to support our health system and now we’re actively inviting people to submit their interest through an online form to ensure any offers are captured in one place,” says Chief People Officer Michael Frampton.
“Whether you’re a clinician, student, or someone who just wants to help out in some way, we invite you to go online and submit your information and we’ll be in touch with relevant opportunities when they come up.”
When people go to register online, they can apply by selecting the form that best suits their qualifications and experience from the following options:
• Clinical support roles – for example, doctors, registered nurses, allied health, health care assistants, students and so on
• Non-clinical support roles – for example, cleaners, administrators, human resources professionals, information technology workers, hospitality staff, or anyone who just wants to help out.
“We’d like to hear from anyone who wants to help out and we encourage people to let their friends, families, whānau and networks know about this opportunity as well,” he said.
The form is available to complete on the Canterbury DHB Careers website here, and is for expressions of interest for both Canterbury and West Coast DHBs.
“Once someone has submitted their interest, we’ll get in touch if we have a short, fixed-term role available based on their skills and the DHBs’ needs. Appropriate training and oversight will be provided to ensure safe practice,” Michael Frampton said.
ENDS
As announced by the Director-General of Health and Ministry of Health on 3 April, a fourth person on West Coast has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Case information
Case four is a male in his 30s and is unrelated to all previous cases on the West Coast. The case is still under investigation.
• The risk to the West Coast community is low as the man has been in self-isolation since becoming unwell.
Close contacts are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days from the date of potential exposure to the man.
West Coast Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton says in time we expect we will see more cases on the Coast.
“Isolated cases linked to overseas travel, or close contact with a confirmed case will be followed up by public health teams to help stop the spread.
“Now is the time for increased vigilance and – if you are not already doing so – to follow the advice from the Ministry of Health. There is useful information, updated regularly on both the
Ministry of Health web page and the government’s COVID-19 website: www.covid19.govt.nz,” Dr Brunton says.
Prevention – how to protect yourself and others with good hygiene
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or by covering your mouth and nose with tissues.
• Wash your hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds) often and dry thoroughly
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell (stay at least 2 metres away)
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid personal contact with sick people, such as kissing and sharing cups or food.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs.
• Stay home if you feel unwell.
• Practice low-touch shopping. Do not handle things you are not buying, keep your distance, be aware of how you are touching things like bank cards, money, ATMs and Eftpos machines. Wash your hands after touching things like this as soon as you can.
• If you are a business or provide a service: Increase your cleaning routine in between customers.
• People living in communal spaces must be especially careful with distancing, cleaning and general hygiene.
Physical distancing is essential
• Put physical distance (two metres) between yourself and other people in public places such as supermarkets.
• Be kind to others: Make it easy for them to keep 2m from you – eg, keep a 2m space in front of you in a supermarket queue, and stay 2m back from counters and reception desks.
Please stay home
• Do not go into any public places if you are feeling unwell and minimise close contact even in your home – ring ahead if you need a service.
• Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any symptoms and have undertaken any overseas travel in the past 14 days, or have been in close contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19. Please do not go directly to a pharmacy, GP clinic, urgent care centre or emergency department.
ENDS
Patients received medical care in their cars at a Poutini Waiora and Grey Medical Centre flu vaccination drive-through clinic yesterday in Greymouth.
At-risk Māori were contacted and scheduled for flu vaccinations by Poutini Waiora Nurse Prescriber Angela Orr. As each person turned up in their cars, they were directed to Poutini Waiora Whanau Ora nurse Dianna McLean in full personal protective equipment who took details and delivered the flu vaccination. Poutini Waiora Whanau Ora Navigator Karyn Andersen followed up with information about other things available to Māori in need.
This wasn’t the first flu clinic targeting Māori patients, Ms Orr said. “But we are noticing more people are keen to get their vaccinations. Many of these patients are immune-compromised. Māori have more respiratory conditions, diabetes, cancer than non- Māori, and that puts them at more of a risk in terms of getting flu. It also means they are more vulnerable if they get COVID-19.
“If we can delay and minimise the number of people with flu on the Coast, then it’s not a double whammy for our patients.”
Clinical Nurse Manager Chris Beadle said non-Māori vulnerable patients are also being contacted to receive their flu vaccinations.
West Coast DHB Māori Health Portfolio Manager Kylie Parkin says the clinic had been initiated by Grey Medical Centre when they managed to secure flu vaccines.
““Māori uptake of flu vaccinations sits at 59% of those aged 65 and over currently vaccinated. That’s slightly above the national picture, but still low given the disproportionate number of Māori with pre-existing health conditions, in particular respiratory illness which could mean that their outcomes from influenza would be worse than most.
“Locally it has always been a challenge to convince them of the benefits of getting their flu jab, but with the current situation it presents an opportunity for us to better protect Māori who may be more at risk from poorer health outcomes as a result of flu.”
Patient Iwi Neate of Hokitika had never received a flu shot in the past.
“With the pandemic, plus I’m in the statistics for ethnicity, age and health, I decided it was a good idea. I didn’t really know the process, but the nurse rang round to set up appointments,” Iwi says.
As for the vaccination: “I didn’t even know she’d done it!”
There have been supply issues with flu vaccines, but West Coast general practices and pharmacies are expecting further deliveries for vulnerable patients within the next week. The vaccines should be available for the general public later in April.
ENDS
Please attribute comment to David Meates, Chief Executive, West Coast DHB:
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the announcement made by Director General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield today, confirming a woman in her 70s has passed away early this morning on the West Coast.
The woman was one of three cases of COVID-19 confirmed on the West Coast so far.
We express our deepest sympathies to the woman’s family and ask that their request for privacy is respected.
Staff followed protocols and procedures and did everything they could to help this patient, and to protect themselves.
As a precaution 21 DHB staff members who were involved in caring for this woman in Greymouth Hospital are self-isolating for 14 days as they have been in close contact with a person who didn’t initially meet the case definition for COVID-19.
West Coast DHB has worked to ensure appropriate staffing arrangements are in place to replace these team members and ensure that we can continue to provide health services to the West Coast community.
Prevention – how to protect yourself and others with good hygiene
Physical distancing is essential
Please stay home
ENDS
Please direct any further enquiries about this or any other confirmed, probable or suspect cases to the Ministry of Health.
As announced by the Ministry of Health on 28 March, a further two people on the West Coast have tested positive for COVID-19.
Case information
Case two is a man in his 20s in self-isolation on the West Coast after travelling to New Zealand from Australia.
No further details on case three, the person being treated in Grey Base Hospital, are available at this stage.
West Coast Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink says over time we expect we will see more cases on the West Coast.
“Isolated cases linked to overseas travel, or close contact with a confirmed case will be followed up by public health teams to help stop the spread.
“Now is the time for increased vigilance and – if you are not already doing so – to follow the advice from the Ministry of Health. There is a mine of information on both the Ministry of Health web page and the government’s new website: covid19.govt.nz,” Dr Pink says.
Prevention – how to protect yourself and others with good hygiene
Physical distancing is essential
Please stay home if you are sick
ENDS
Articles in this update include:
In this edition of the CE Update, Chief Executive David Meates provides an update on the activities we have been undertaking as part of our preparedness for managing COVID-19 patients on the Coast. This includes information on the limits that have been placed on access to our facilities to protect our patients and frequently asked questions.
Read more
Our stories
• What we’re doing at the West Coast DHB in terms of preparedness
• Frequently asked questions
• COVID-19 Alert Level Four – Updated hospital and clinic visitor policy
• Healthy Thinking
• Healthcare Assistants adding value to the nursing care provided to patients
• Acknowledgement of Fellowship Achievement
• West Coast DHB’s ‘hidden gems’ ensure germs are kept at bay
• West Coast DHB’s Music Therapist recognised for her commitment to music therapy
• Better food and drink choices at West Coast DHB
• One minute with…Neil de Goede
• Chief Information Officer (CIO) Interview: Being the CIO of the smallest DHB in the country
• Safe Sleep Day promoted at West Coast DHB
• New video showcasing midwifery in Canterbury and the West Coast
• Cricket prize enjoyed by ‘sports-mad’ family
• Choosing Wisely forum has strong focus on equity
Regulars
• Bouquets
• South Island Alliance update
• Activity & Nutrition Aotearoa
• eCald – Enhancing CALD Cultural Competence
• Health Quality & Safety Commission New Zealand E-digest
You can read the CE Update in 2 different formats:
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
All West Coast general practices have restricted access to clinics in response to the current COVID-19 situation. People are still able to access health care but the majority of appointments are now being done virtually by phone, email, text or video.
Face-to-face appointments are no longer being accepted unless the patient has first had a remote consultation. These changes have been put in place to help reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by our patients and front-line health staff in busy wait rooms.
For anyone needing repeat prescriptions, these will continue to be provided by our general practice teams. We do ask that people don’t make appointments for repeat prescriptions unless they are due for renewal as there is no need to stockpile medications.
Influenza vaccination clinics are now available for front-line healthcare workers and eligible Coasters who are at greatest risk of serious illness from influenza. We are currently experiencing some delays in supply deliveries due to the high demand across New Zealand, so please phone ahead to book your appointment or to find out when our dedicated clinics are being held.
Flu vaccinations are fully-funded (free), for people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, people with certain chronic conditions and young children with a history of severe respiratory illness. Our flu vaccination programme will be available to the wider community on or shortly after Monday, 13 April 2020.
Influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19, however it will help prevent a serious illness which causes hundreds of deaths each winter in New Zealand.
Remember, we all play an important role in keeping ourselves, our family/whānau and friends safe. Some simple things that we can all do include:
For anyone who is feeling stressed and anxious or who needs some advice, then there are places you can CALL for more support, listed below:
You may also like to check out the online therapy tool ‘Just a Thought’ available at www.justathought.co.nz
If you need medical advice, call your general practice team 24/7 FIRST rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice. Remember, in an emergency, always call 111.
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Media contacts
Helen Reriti
Executive Officer
West Coast Primary Health Organisation
P: 027 288 0162
Imogen Squires
Senior Communications Advisor
West Coast District Health Board
P: 027 836 1528
Canterbury and West Coast DHBs Chief Executive David Meates has today announced further significant changes to the DHB’s visitor policy in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus).
“We are navigating our way through an extraordinary situation where we must examine our policies to enable us to care for those people who are in hospital in the best possible way.
“To this end our new visitor policy is designed to protect those who are receiving care in our facilities. It is a policy with tiaki (protect), manaaki (care and support) and aroha (love) at its core.
“Now is the time for our Canterbury and West Coast communities to step up and help us protect and care for all those in our care during these challenging times by following this updated visitor policy, says David.
The following changes apply with immediate effect and until further notice
In line with the Government’s directive that we are to escalate to COVID-19 alert level 4 protocol, all Canterbury and West Coast DHB facilities have adopted a no-visitors policy, with only a few notable exceptions.
The exceptions to the no visitor policy include:
The decision about whether exceptional circumstances apply outside of these exemptions is at the discretion of the Charge Nurse/Midwife Manager or another lead clinician.
In all exceptions where a visitor is allowed to access any DHB facility, appropriate screening will take place before they are allowed to enter the care environment to ensure they are well, have clean hands and are using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“It’s vital that we reduce the numbers of people coming into our facilities to reduce the opportunity for any infections to spread. I would like to thank people in advance for their cooperation and playing their part to keep our patients safe,” David says.
For people with outpatient appointments, if you are unwell or have potentially been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, please do not come in unless it’s an emergency. Call the phone the number on your appointment letter. They may be able to arrange a phone or video consultation as an alternative to a face to face appointment.
Only people with symptoms should call Healthline’s COVID-19 line on 0800 358 5453.
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For further information, contact:
communications@cdhb.health.nz
As announced by the Director-General of Health and the Ministry of Health on 26 March a person on the West Coast has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first confirmed case on the Coast and is a close contact of a confirmed case.
A man in his 60s is in self-isolation at home on the West Coast after recent travel to Wellington for a wedding. One member of his family who travelled with him is also in self-isolation.
“Over time we expect we will see more cases on the West Coast. Isolated cases linked to overseas travel, or close contact with a confirmed case will be followed up by public health teams to help stop the spread,” Dr Brunton said.
“Now is the time for increased vigilance and – if you are not already doing so – to follow the advice from the Ministry of Health. There is a mine of information on both the Ministry of Health web page and the government’s new website: covid19.govt.nz
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This year’s influenza immunisation programme has started early on the West Coast with flu vaccines initially available for front-line healthcare workers and eligible Coasters who are at greatest risk of serious illness from influenza.
West Coast Medical Officer of Health, Dr Cheryl Brunton, says West Coast DHB staff who come in close contact with patients are being encouraged to get vaccinated now. It is important that we do all we can to reduce the impact of flu on our health system and the more people who get vaccinated the better.
Influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19, however it will help prevent a serious illness which causes hundreds of deaths each winter in New Zealand.
If you are in one of the following priority groups, it is strongly recommended that you contact your general practice team to discuss getting vaccinated:
Our flu vaccination programme will be available to the wider community on or shortly after Monday, 13 April 2020.
If you get the flu, the best way to help prevent spreading it is to stay home from school or work if you are sick. It’s also important to try and keep your home as warm and dry as possible, says Dr Brunton.
Proper coughing and sneezing etiquette is also key – cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use your elbow if you’re caught short, and wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitiser.
You should call your general practice team 24/7 for advice rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice, says Dr Brunton.
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Focus on People is West Coast DHB’s Quality Accounts annual publication. This special 2019 edition aims to provide you with a snapshot of the work we have been doing over the past year to improve the health and wellbeing of Coasters.
Articles in this newsletter include:
With the Christmas and New Year holidays fast approaching, you may have an overseas trip planned and be counting down to the day you jet off to an exotic location.
However, with measles currently spreading in popular holiday destinations there is cause for extra vigilance when travelling overseas this summer.
West Coast Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton says we are currently measles-free on the Coast and we’d like to keep it that way. People should avoid bringing unwanted illness back home from their holidays.
“If you’re travelling to Samoa, Tonga, the Philippines or Fiji and you’re aged under 50, check that your vaccinations are up to date to prevent becoming unwell while on holiday, and risking bringing measles back to the Coast.
“Measles vaccinations are free for those aged under 50 who are travelling to an area where there is a measles outbreak. Current outbreak regions can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website,” says Dr Brunton.
Over the Christmas and New Year break many friends and relatives will visit our region, so it is important to make sure your whānau and those visiting are immunised too.
Dr Brunton says vaccination is the best protection against measles.
“This is especially important for children who haven’t had their MMR vaccinations – scheduled at 15 months and four years. These children, and those travelling to an area where this is an outbreak are currently top priority for vaccination,” says Dr Brunton.
As the measles vaccination takes up to two weeks to provide protection, don’t leave it until the last minute. Call your general practice team and check whether you and your family are all up to date with your vaccinations before you travel this summer.
Anyone with measles symptoms or who believes they may have been exposed, can contact their usual general practice 24/7 for additional advice, no matter where they are. If people call their GP team after hours they can be put through to a nurse who can provide free health advice and advise what to do.
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Please attribute to Philip Wheble, General Manager – West Coast District Health Board
The relocation of services located in buildings needing to be demolished to make way for the West Coast DHB’s new Buller Health facility has been completed. All services including Buller Medical Centre have been working from their new locations since Monday, 25 November.
Registration of Interest (ROI) for the procurement of a demolition contractor was issued on the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) in November and a preferred contractor for this work will be identified following completion of this process.
Demolition needed to make way for construction of the facility is expected to begin in early 2020, with construction starting around May 2020.
Construction will take around 18 months to complete, with occupancy of the new facility approximately three months after to allow time for activities such as the installation of fixtures and fittings and a full clinical cleaning of the facility.
The facility is budgeted to cost $20 million and will have a final floor area of 2,290m² with all services, storage spaces and utility areas located within the facility itself. The detailed design plan was endorsed by the West Coast DHB Board at their Friday, 1 November meeting.
The 12-bed facility has been designed to support an integrated model of care and will house a range of services including general practice, inpatients, primary birthing and postnatal care, palliative care and urgent care. The DHB’s community services, Māori health service and mental health service will also be located within the Buller Health Centre.
Clinical services will be supported by radiology and laboratory support services on the same site. The co-location of services will facilitate a collaborative approach to providing health care services, with a focus on improving the patient experience.
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Inpatient falls continue to be the major serious adverse event reported by West Coast DHB for the 2018/19 financial year.
The release of a Serious Adverse Events Report by each DHB is an initiative led by the Health Quality and Safety Commission. The reports highlight events which have resulted in significant additional treatment, major loss of function, are life threatening or have led to an unexpected death.
Of the 3 adverse events identified as serious by West Coast DHB, all were patients who had a fall while in hospital.
West Coast DHB’s Medical Director Patient Safety and Outcomes Vicki Robertson says a lot of work has happened across the West Coast Health System to reduce the harm caused by falls but there is still more preventative work that we can do in this area.
“Falls can be very serious for patients whose health is fragile. As part of our falls prevention strategy, we work with our patients and their whānau to keep them safe while in hospital. We also have a number of initiatives including thorough assessment of patient mobility needs in place. We continue to be focused on reducing patient falls both in our health facilities and in the community,” Vicki says.
Nationwide, there was a reduction in reported events for the first time since 2011/12, with the highest reported event category related to clinical management, including falls and pressure injuries.
As noted by Health Quality & Safety Commission clinical lead for adverse events Dr David Hughes, “no one should experience preventable harm when they are receiving healthcare. The sector should work together to create a safety culture where people feel able to report harm without fear of being blamed for mistakes, and we can learn from what happened.”
“Preventing adverse events relies on our continued efforts to review and learn from mistakes when they happen so that we can improve our systems and processes to make them safer,” says Vicki.
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More information: West Coast DHB Serious Adverse Events Reports are available in our online Document Library.
Please attribute to Deborah Wright, Manager Integrated Health Services – Northern
In preparation for the demolition needed to make way for construction of the new Buller Health facility, we are relocating a number of services to other areas of the facility this coming weekend.
Our staff have done an amazing job over the past couple of months preparing for the move which has been planned to ensure minimal disruption to services. We anticipate that the services that are moving will be operating from their new locations from Monday, 25 November.
A display highlighting the new Buller Health facility using a combination of artist’s impressions, floor and site plans and a 3D architectural fly-through of key areas will be on show at the Kawatiri Wellbeing Hui on Friday, 22 November 2019 from 11am – 3pm at Westport’s Pulse Energy Centre.
Buller Health staff will be on hand to answer any questions.
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More information
‘Buller Health Services are on the move' information sheet
West Coast DHB’s Medical Imaging Technologists (MITs) who are members of the APEX union are on strike from 7am Tuesday 29 October until 7am Saturday 2 November (four continuous days) and from 7am Monday 4 November until 7am Tuesday 5 November.
MITs are the health care professionals who carry out a wide range of x-rays and scans.
West Coast DHB’s Director of Allied Health, Technical and Scientific, Jane George said that anyone who had a pre-booked outpatient appointment during the strike period that involved an x-ray or scan had been contacted by phone or text and had their appointment rescheduled.
We will be working closely with our general practice teams to keep disruption to a minimum.
“This does mean that some people who are clinically stable may have to wait longer to have their x-ray or scan, and we apologise in advance for that.”
Anyone who needs emergency care during the five day strike period will receive it, including any x-rays or scans necessary for safe care. West Coast DHB has an arrangement with the union that enables staff who would otherwise be on strike, to provide emergency care if needed.
West Coast DHB employs 6 MITs and we are planning on the basis that the MITs who are members of the APEX union will all be on strike for the five-day period.
It’s important to note that sonographers who provide ultrasound scans are not affected by this strike and will continue to work as normal.
Ms George stressed that anyone who needs health advice or care should continue to make their general practice team their first port of call 24/7.
“After hours you can call your own practice, even when they’re closed. Simply follow the instructions on the answerphone to be put through to a nurse who will provide free health advice and tell you what to do and where to go if you need to be seen.
“Of course, if it’s an emergency you should call 111 as per usual,” Jane George said. “We have staff available to ensure you will receive the care you need.”
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR MEDIA
Note: This strike period isn’t five straight-up strikes – the odd days (days 1,3 and 5) are partial stoppages (time limits put on how long is allowed for each particular scan) and the even days are full strikes.
Who makes up the Medical Imaging Technologists (MIT) (radiographer) workforce?
Medical Imaging Technologists are health care professionals who specialise in acquiring images to assist Radiologists and Cardiologists and other medical specialists with medical diagnosis and treatment.
The types of imaging they perform include:
West Coast DHB’s Medical Imaging Technologists (MITs) who are members of the APEX union will be on strike for two 24 hour periods from 7am on Monday 30 September to 7am 1 October, AND Wednesday 2 October until 7am Thursday 3 October.
MITs are the health care professionals who carry out a wide range of x-rays and scans.
West Coast DHB’s Associate Director of Allied Health, Jane George said anyone who has a pre-booked outpatient appointment that involves an x-ray or scan that has to be rebooked as a result of this industrial action will be contacted by phone or text to reschedule their appointment. Once arranged, the new appointment will stand even if the strike doesn’t go ahead.
We will be working closely with our general practice teams to keep disruption to a minimum.
“This does mean that some people who are clinically stable may have to wait longer to have their x-ray or scan, and we apologise in advance for that.”
Anyone who needs emergency care during the 24 hour period of the strike will receive it, including any x-rays or scans necessary for safe care. We have an arrangement with the union that they will provide staff to provide emergency care if needed.
West Coast DHB employs 6 MITs and we are planning on the basis that the MITs who are members of the APEX union will all be on strike for both 24 hour periods.
Ms George stressed that anyone who needs health advice or care should continue to make their general practice team their first port of call 24/7.
“After hours you can call your own practice, even when they’re closed. Simply follow the instructions on the answerphone to be put through to a nurse who will provide free health advice and tell you what to do and where to go if you need to be seen.
“Of course, if it’s an emergency you should call 111 as usual,” Jane George said. “We will have staff available to ensure you will receive the care you need.”
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR MEDIA
Who makes up the Medical Imaging Technologists (MIT) (radiographer) workforce?
Medical Imaging Technologists are health care professionals who specialise in acquiring images to assist Radiologists and Cardiologists and other medical specialists with medical diagnosis and treatment.
The types of imaging they perform include:
With the large number of measles cases around the country, we can expect to see some measles cases on the Coast at some stage.
Measles is a highly infectious virus that can be life threatening. Complications occur in about one in three people, and for them measles can be serious, even fatal.
What are the symptoms?
Measles symptoms are a:
If you’re sick stay home and call your General Practice team/family doctor for advice any time of day or night. Please do not go to your GP in person as you may spread the illness to others. Anyone with measles needs to be isolated from the time they become ill until 4 days after the rash has appeared.
Who is protected from measles?
People who have had two MMR vaccinations (typically given at 15months and 4 years) are immune from measles. People born before 1969 will have been exposed to the measles virus and will have acquired immunity.
Those born between 1969 and 1990 are considered to have a good level of protection. This group were offered one measles vaccine and evidence suggests that one dose of MMR protects 95% of people from developing measles.
Who is the priority group for vaccination?
In the Auckland region, particular effort is being made to vaccinate children, Pacific people, and those aged between 15 and 29 years to minimise the impact of this outbreak and the age at which the first dose of MMR is given has been moved from 15 months to 12 months.
In the rest of New Zealand, including the West Coast, there is no change at present to the National Immunisation Schedule, except for babies 12 months or older who are travelling to Auckland, who can bring their first MMR vaccination, usually given at 15 months, forward to 12 months. This may change as the national response to the Auckland outbreak evolves.
What happens if there’s been a case of measles in a school or workplace?
Health authorities will be in contact with any school or workplace where there has been a confirmed case and advise accordingly.
If there is a confirmed case and a risk of transmission, health authorities advise that those who are susceptible – including those who have never been vaccinated and those who have only had one vaccine – need to stay away until they are given the all clear.
As a general rule, a contact is someone who has been in the same room as a confirmed case or who has been in a room within one hour of a confirmed case being there.
More information about measles is available at http://www.immune.org.nz
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West Coast DHB has announced that it is taking over management of all its food services from 1 October 2019.
The current provider, Spotless Services, will not be retained when its contract expires on 30 September, however the DHB is offering ongoing employment to all current food services staff. Food services operates in Grey Base Hospital, Reefton Health Centre and Buller Health and covers patient meals, Meals on Wheels, the café at Grey Hospital and staff meals.
The move follows the same step taken by Canterbury DHB in 2017 to bring its food services under the DHB’s management rather than an external provider. The service took on a new name and branding, Wellfood, and the services on the Coast will use the same branding. The operation of food services on the West Coast under the current contract has been overseen by a joint Canterbury and West Coast team for more than seven years, and this set up will continue. The same team also oversee the Wellfood service in Canterbury
The DHB’s food service enjoys high levels of customer satisfaction and the same quality of food and service will continue, with plans over time to enhance the range of healthy choices and locally sourced produce. The DHB will continue to use similar food production methods.
The only visible change to the public will be the logo on the food service staff uniforms, which will change from Spotless to Wellfood.
West Coast DHB has let all 30 food service workers and their managers currently employed by Spotless Services know that it is seeking to employ them from 1 October. Both West Coast DHB and Spotless are committed to the wellbeing of the employees affected by this decision and have engaged with Etu, the food services union, to ensure that the staff are kept well informed and that they understand what the transition means for them individually.
The food service workers’ new contracts with West Coast DHB will contain the same terms and conditions as their current contracts, and they will enjoy additional benefits as West Coast DHB employees.
West Coast DHB’s Acting Chief Executive Mary Gordon says, “I would like to acknowledge the 11 years’ service and valued relationship we’ve had with Spotless who took over the contract back in 2008.
“Between now and 1 October there’s a lot of behind the scenes details to work through and we will continue to work cooperatively with Spotless Services, their staff, and union to ensure a smooth transition.”
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For more information contact:
Canterbury and West Coast DHBs Media Advisor
027 567 5343
Please attribute to Philip Wheble, General Manager – West Coast District Health Board
West Coast DHB has closed off the service tunnel, service cupboards and restricted access to the Pakington Street Energy Centre at the Buller Health facility after testing confirmed the presence of asbestos.
The asbestos was detected after specialist asbestos assessors were contracted to carry out an asbestos survey of the existing facility in relation to the demolition required for the new Buller Health facility.
Immediately on receiving the survey results last month, we restricted access to the affected areas as a precaution before undertaking further assessment work, including extensive swab sample testing and air testing. Very few staff and no patients have access to any of these areas and so potential exposure to asbestos has been limited to some maintenance staff and contractors.
Asbestos can pose a risk to health when the fibres have been disturbed and people are regularly exposed to them (most commonly people who are exposed to loose asbestos fibres frequently). We have been working closely with our staff that regularly access these areas and have offered them health checks, further information, counselling and other support as appropriate.
External environmental experts will be engaged as part of the asbestos containing material management plan, with the view to analyse the most appropriate decontaminating/encapsulating procedures leading up to the planned demolition associated with the building of the new Buller Health facility.
To reiterate, no members of the public have had access to the areas where asbestos fibres have been found, and the decontamination/encapsulation processes will not expose anyone but the specialist contractors to asbestos – and they will use appropriate protective equipment.
The Buller Medical Centre building, currently occupied by our general practice and allied health services, has also been identified as having asbestos containing materials (ACMs) obstructing the ceiling access hatches used for maintenance and repair. Although the building is considered safe to occupy because the asbestos is contained in the roof space, because of the location of the ACMs, we need to close the facility to undertake any urgent repairs, maintenance or cleaning that would require entry to the roof space.
As this could potentially be disruptive to service delivery, we have decided to relocate these services as part of the planned decamp and demolition needed to make way for construction of the new facility.
We are currently developing a decant allocation plan which we will share with the Buller community once the details have been confirmed. The relocation of services will be a staged process to minimise the disruption to services.
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Please attribute to Dr Ramon Pink, Medical Officer of Health
Samples taken earlier this week to determine the cause of the illness circulating within the Westport North School community have returned positive results for influenza.
Influenza symptoms can include headache, fever, nausea, cough, fatigue and in some cases may also cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
We encourage anyone who has been unwell to stay at home from school or work for at least five days after the onset of symptoms of their illness.
Information on stopping the spread of germs at home, and caring for someone with a flu-like illness at home is available here
If you need medical advice, call your general practice team 24/7 first rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice. If it is an emergency dial 111.
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Please attribute to Dr Ramon Pink, Medical Officer of Health
The Community and Public Health division of West Coast District Health Board is working with the Westport North School to determine the cause of the recent outbreak of illness.
Samples have been taken and until the tests results have been returned we are unable to comment on the cause of the illness.
Influenza-like illness is circulating in the community on the West Coast. In some areas it is having a significant impact, causing unwellness in schools and workplaces. We encourage those who are unwell to stay at home from school or work until their health has improved.
If you have been unwell with gastroenteritis, it is recommended that you remain away from work or school for at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
If you or someone you know becomes unwell with an influenza-like illness there are some things you can do to help them recover and stop the spread.
If you need medical advice, call your general practice team 24/7 first rather than visiting in person. After hours, follow the instructions to be put through to a nurse for free health advice. If it is an emergency, dial 111.
We do not comment on individual patient care.
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Articles in this update include:
In this July issue:
You can read the CE Update in 2 different formats:
Please attribute to David Meates, Chief Executive
West Coast DHB’s Board endorsed the final Buller Health facility concept design at their Friday, 10 May meeting. The final design incorporates changes requested by user groups following re-engagement with Buller staff by the design team and West Coast DHB Facilities Redevelopment team earlier this month.
The concept design incorporates a new roof layout which the project architects and engineers worked on during the re-engagement phase. The new roof layout provides additional space within the footprint of the main hospital allowing for the utility areas and storage spaces previously in an ‘out-building’ to be accommodated within the facility itself.
The final floor plan is now 2,290m2 and includes all services, storage spaces and utility areas located within the facility itself. The previous iteration of the Buller Health Centre floor plan had a floor size of 2213m² with an additional 68m² utility building (total 2,281m2), which included storage spaces and utility areas.
The facilities mock-up room space is expected to be established mid-year in an existing building which is a large utility shed/garage on the Buller Health campus. The space will have moveable walls, or tape on the floor to indicate the space available to perform certain tasks.
The proximity to the existing facility will allow Buller staff to fully engage in the next phases of preliminary, developed and detailed design. There will be a number of opportunities for staff, patients/consumers and the wider community to ‘test’ the layout of the various rooms to ensure that they are functional and fit for purpose. We anticipate that the design will be completed by October 2019.
Construction registration of interest will be sought during September 2019 with the construction contract to be let in January 2020. Demolition and construction associated with the new facility is expected to take 550 days with occupation of the new facility expected by September 2021.
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Please attribute to David Meates, Chief Executive
Construction of new West Coast DHB administration building to begin shortly
Construction of the new West Coast DHB administration building on Cowper Street is expected to commence shortly. The existing Cowper Street building and the two adjoining DHB owned houses were demolished earlier this week.
The building will provide a facility for all DHB personnel not based within the new Te Nīkau Grey Hospital and Health Centre currently under construction or in the existing corporate services building.
Site preparation and construction of the $2.038M facility will be undertaken by local West Coast construction company, CYB Construction Limited.
The prefabricated panels which will be used to build the facility are currently being manufactured and construction of the building itself is expected to start in June 2019.
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Note: External images of the new admin building shown on this page are artist's impressions only and are subject to change.
West Coast District Health Board’s Community and Public Health team has lifted a health warning advising the public not to collect or consume shellfish harvested from the South Island’s West Coast between Hector and Greymouth.
The Ministry for Primary Industries removed the marine biotoxin warning for the area between Hector and Greymouth on May 8. Ongoing sampling of shellfish from this area has determined that paralytic shellfish toxins are now at safe levels.
Monitoring of toxin levels will continue and any changes will be communicated accordingly
For more information
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Please attribute to David Meates, Chief Executive
West Coast DHB engages user groups as part of Buller Health facility project planning
West Coast DHB facilities re-development team and the project architects from Warren and Mahoney met with clinical and support user groups last week to progress the planning of the Buller Health facility.
User group representatives at each session were able to review how clinical spaces will look and interact with each other. The level of engagement was high and resulted in constructive and positive feedback. As a result, all user groups have now endorsed the Buller Health Concept Design and the design team has commenced the initial stages of the preliminary design process.
Buller District Council Mayor, Garry Howard as the council-appointed representative for the design phase attended these sessions. Mayor Howard's contribution to the design process was invaluable and we would like to thank him for his on-going support and participation in this process.
The facilities mock-up rooms will be established in an existing building – a large utility shed/garage – on the DHB campus. The proximity to the existing facility will enable Buller staff to fully engage in the next design phases of preliminary, developed and detailed. This is expected to happen mid-year.
Prior to sharing the Concept Design with the wider Buller community, we will be seeking endorsement from the West Coast DHB Board at their Friday, 10 May meeting.
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Articles in this update include:
You can read the CE Update in 2 different formats:
Please attribute to Philip Wheble, General Manager West Coast District Health Board
West Coast DHB to start next phase of Buller Health facility project planning
West Coast DHB will shortly begin the next planning phase of the Buller Health facility project. On 19 November, the Minister of Health visited the existing facility in Buller and announced the joint Minister’s approval of $20M for the Buller IFHC. Following this announcement, the project management of the Buller IFHC was transferred back to the West Coast DHB on 19 December.
This process included the transfer of consultant contracts from the Ministry of Health back to the West Coast DHB. The project consultant design team will be responsible for the ongoing design and delivery of the Buller Health project. The team includes:
Now that our consultants are on board and as we move into the next design phases of preliminary, developed and detailed, we will be re-engaging with user groups. The purpose of the engagement with our clinical and support service teams will be to progress the detail of the plan and review how clinical spaces will look and interact with each other. The Buller District Mayor, as the council-appointed representative for the design phase will participate in this process.
The next round of user group engagement is scheduled for early May with the West Coast DHB facilities re-development team and the project architects from Warren and Mahoney.
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Page last updated: 16 July 2020
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