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There is currently COVID-19 in our community which means some changes to our hospitals and clinics. Find out more. As always, we're here if you need us.

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Patient, whānau and visitor information

We know COVID-19 in the community creates a risk, but we also know whānau have a significant, positive and beneficial role in supporting our patients.

This is why we take a balanced approach to our decision around who can visit.

We’ll ask you a few questions to help keep us all safe and will need to follow a few important rules. You'll also need to follow the relevant traffic light guidance.()

Please continue to check this page. This information will be reviewed as and when the situation changes.

Current information for visiting

Please note, there may be some areas of the hospital unable to accept visitors to keep everyone safe. These areas may change from time to time. If you’re a nominated visitor, a member of the healthcare team will tell you if your visit will be impacted.

Patients in hospital (Inpatients)

Who can visit

  • A patient may nominate up to two people who can visit them during their stay in the hospital
  • These two visitors must be registered before they visit
  • Only one nominated person can visit each day. Check with the other nominated person when you plan your visit.
  • Visiting hours are between 7am and 8pm.
  • If the patient is COVID-19 positive, we have some tighter visiting guidelines – please talk to the nurse in charge.

How to register

  • The patient, or their delegated decision-maker, will need to give the names and contact details of the two nominated visitors to the ward staff.
  • The ward staff register the nominated people into our system.
  • We’ll email or text you a QR code which you can show when you arrive.

Arriving at our hospitals

Please allow five minutes for us to register you and to check you in.

You can expect a friendly welcome at the entrance from one of our team. It’s their job to check that you are registered to visit that day and check you in.

During the check-in process, we’ll ask to see the QR code we sent you and ask you a few questions to help keep us all safe.

When you’re visiting, please wear a mask at all times. We’ll provide you with a surgical mask on arrival, please wear this rather than a fabric face covering. Please use hand sanitiser and follow any physical distancing guidelines. You must go straight to the bedside of the patient you are visiting.

Please don’t visit if you have COVID-19 symptoms, or have tested positive for COVID-19, unless you have had prior approval on compassionate grounds.

Higher risk areas

As the number of cases of Omicron increases in the community, we have put in place additional precautions to protect patients who are medically at higher risk if they become infected.

Whānau can come into the hospital to support patient care but will need to return a negative Rapid Antigen Test before entering any of the following areas:

  • Rangitoto Ward (haematology day-stay)
  • Motutapu Ward
  • NICU
  • Starship Blood and Cancer wards.

We’ll do the test when you arrive at these areas, it only takes a few minutes. 

Remember to follow the basics – wear a medical mask, wash your hands often and keep a safe distance from others. Please don’t visit if you have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Thank you for being one of the team and helping to keep everyone safe.

Heading to the emergency department? 

  • You can have one support person with you.
  • We’ll ask you and your support person a few questions to help keep us all safe
  • Ask your support person to drop you at ED, then park in carpark A or B. 

During labour and birth

Antenatal and postnatal clinics

Visiting your tamariki in Starship Hospital? 

Outpatient or clinic appointment? 

  • You can bring one support person with you.
  • You and your support person will be asked a few questions to help keep us all safe.

Compassionate exceptions

There are times when it will be important for more than one person to visit. Reasons for this might include:

  • Extra support for those who have difficulty communicating
  • Long-stay inpatients
  • Patients whose condition has worsened
  • Patients at or near the end of life.

Please talk to the charge nurse or lead doctor caring for your loved one about compassionate visiting.

Other ways to keep in touch

  • There is free WIFI in our hospitals for patients to use, and we encourage you to keep in touch using your phone.  
  • You can drop clothes, food or gifts for your loved one at one of our main entrances. Please label it with the patient’s name and ward number. 
  • One person should be nominated as the family spokesperson, so they can be involved in conversations about the care of their whānau member by phone or video.

Leaflets for whānau visiting: