Community services

Coronavirus

UPDATE 26 March 2020: All Hawke's Bay DHB facilites currently have a no visitors policy.

Exceptions:

End of life care - one nominated person can support a terminal patient through end of life care.
Children - one parent/guardian can support a child in hospital.
Maternity - one support person only for a woman in labour.

The decision about whether exceptional circumstances apply is at the Charge Nurse Manager's or another lead clinician discretion.

no visitors policy

Please follow the links to the right for current information, or see resources here.

Community-based assessment centres

Hawke's Bay District Health Board has established COVID-19 community-based testing centres (CBACs) in Napier and Hastings. Swabbing centres are also established in Flaxmere, Camberley and Wairoa (from 27 March).

When and how to use a community-based assessment centre:

People with Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms should phone Healthline (0800 358 5453) or their GP first.
The Healthline advisor or GP will confirm if someone requires assessment and testing for COVID-19 at a CBAC
If the GP or Healthline think they need testing a CBAC team member will call them to make a time for them to come to the centre and be assessed.
If someone is unable to get to a CBAC the GP will make alternative arrangements for testing.

Please do not attend a CBAC without an appointment.

Changes to hospital services

From Thursday 26 March most outpatient and pre-operation assessment clinics will be postponed at DHB facilities. This means that most people who have received an appointment to an outpatient clinic in the next four weeks, have had their appointment postponed. A district health board representative will be in touch with them.

The district health board will be putting in place as many telehealth appointments, either by video or over the phone for patients that need to be urgently assessed.

We ask for your understanding at this time as our staff are reprioritised to where they are needed. We understand this will be a very distressing time for our patients, and we will be rescheduling all appointments as quickly as we are able.

The changes to our services are as follows:

Emergency Department

Life-threatening injuries and medical conditions will be able to be treated at Hawke’s Bay Hospitals Emergency Department. Those people with minor injuries and medical conditions will be sent to accident and medical centres.

Fracture clinics

Fracture clinics are running and will continue to run throughout lockdown. We are contacting all those who can be rescheduled, but those who we book will be seen.

Renal Patients

Renal patients need to still attend their dialysis appointments. Please turn up as you normally would to your dialysis appointment. However, if you are unwell please phone ahead to let staff know and so they can make appropriate arrangements.

Maternity patients

Women in labour should follow their care plan as described by their Lead Maternity Carer. The DHB’s maternity facilities will remain open but closed to visitors. Only parents will be allowed on-site.

Planned surgery – electives

Only those electives that we are unable to defer will go ahead - most (elective surgery) will be postponed and rescheduled as soon as we are able.

Cancer patients

Those patients receiving chemotherapy will continue to do so as planned. Please come to your appointments as they are scheduled. If you are unwell please phone ahead to let staff know so they can make appropriate arrangements.

Urgent (life-threatening) Acute surgery

Will continue as normal.

Gastroenterology

All appointments have now been postponed and will be rescheduled. You will be contacted by a district health board representative if you had an appointment already scheduled.

Radiology

All radiology appointments other than those needing acute care have been postponed and will be rescheduled as soon as the DHB is able. A Hawke’s Bay Hospital representative will be in touch with you if you have an appointment already scheduled.

Dental

All appointments will be postponed and rescheduled as soon as we are able. A district health board representative will be in contact with you if you have an appointment already scheduled.

Visitors

Only one visitor per patient is allowed at all times.

Wairoa Hospital

Planning is underway and we will update you as details are finalised for community-based assessment centre facilities.

CHB Medical Centre

Planning is underway for how Central Hawke’s Bay facilities and community-based assessment units will operate. We will provide more information as soon as these are finalised.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to a range of other illnesses such as influenza and do not necessarily mean that you have COVID-19.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are:

a fever (at least 38°C)
a cough
shortness of breath.

These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as colds and flu.

What is novel coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronaviruses are a large and diverse family of viruses which includes the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

In January 2020, officials identified a new coronavirus called novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV (now known as COVID-19).

Steps for clean hands

Wet your hands under clean running water. Use warm water if available.
Put soap on your hands and wash for 20 seconds. Liquid soap is best.
Rub hands together until the soap makes bubbles.
Rub on both sides of both hands...
and in between fingers and thumbs ...
and round and round both hands.
Rinse all the soap off under clean running water. Use warm water if available.
Dry your hands all over for 20 seconds. Using a paper towel is best (or, if at home, a clean dry towel).