Waitākere Hospital

Parking is free for motorcycles and bicycles.

Motorcycles

Take a parking ticket from the barrier when you arrive at the hospital. When leaving, go to the barrier and talk with Traffic Services using the intercom — they will raise the barrier for you.

Motorcycle parking is available at the rear of Snelgar building and Health West Building.

Bicycles

Bicycles use the pedestrian access points to enter and exit the campus. Please share the footpath with care.

Cycle racks are available outside the main hospital building.

Mobility car parks are available to anyone who displays a valid mobility parking permit.

If you need help and would like to speak to the parking staff call 0800 101 190

If you are hearing impaired you can text 021 274 0617 or 021 591 258 to advise the traffic services team of any special needs that you may have before you arrive.

There is a general pharmacy in the main entrance of the hospital.

Let your healthcare provider know if you need an interpreter.

At our Auckland (West and North) locations we use WATIS Interpreting Service, run by Asian and Ethnic Health Services. WATIS Interpreting Service:

• provides interpreting services for our hospital and community-based services
• provides a 24/7 service
• contracts more than 200 interpreters

WATIS covers 142+ languages and dialects including:

• NZ Sign Language
• Asian
• Pacific
• European
• Middle Eastern
• African

Languages available for WATIS — Asian and Ethnic Health Services (external link)

Māori health services aim to improve health status of Māori by:

• helping hospitals cater for Māori
• retaining Māori who become healthcare professionals
• improving healthcare practices so that Māori values are respected.

The introduction of practices based on Tikanga Māori have made a significant contribution to Māori Health across the region. Find out more about our services.

He Kamaka Waiora Māori health services — Healthpoint (external link)

Whanau Ora Cancer care service — Healthpoint (external link)

Whitiki Maurea - Maori Mental Health and Addictions Service — Healthpoint (external link)

Our Pacific health service aspires to ensure all Pacific patients and their families receive holistic, culturally responsive quality and safe care.

Our team understand and value the role of our Pacific heritage, culture, norms and protocols and familial connections to Pacific families living in the Pacific islands and abroad. We strive to ensure all Pacific patients and families accessing our hospital and specialist services feel welcome, safe, valued, heard, understood, informed and involved in the decisions regarding their care.

Find out more about our Pacific health services, including contact details.

Pacific health services (internal link)

Asian Ethnic Health Services (AEHS) provides:

• communication (language) support to Waitematā district staff and Asian and ethnic patients, clients and their whānau using our services
• emotional and coordination support to Asian and ethnic patients and clients
• cultural workshops and trainings to staff to enhance cultural competence working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population.

AEHS aims to improve access to:

• health services and health information for Asian and other ethnic populations
• primary and secondary health services for non-English speaking patients.

Asian and Ethnic Health Services (external link)

Services

• Asian Health Line 0800 888 830
• Asian Breast Screening Support Service
• Asian Patient Support Service
• Asian Mental Health Service
• WATIS — Waitemata Translation and Interpreting Service
• Health promotions and cultural workshops
• Asian perinatal wellbeing programme

We are required to follow a number of rules when collecting, using and storing health information.

Privacy statement (internal link)

Informed consent is the process of exchanging information so that a patient can make an informed decision about their healthcare options, including the option of refusing the treatment, procedure or intervention.

Informed consent (internal link)

Preventing falls is a major focus for every hospital as patients can be unsteady on their feet while in the recovery stage.

Non-slip socks

Non-slip socks are available to help keep you from slipping. Ask your nurse for a pair.

Other ways to prevent falls

Use the call bell to get help with:

• getting up and walking until you feel confident to manage alone
• lowering a bed rail before getting out of bed — do not try to move around the rail.

Do not walk on your own if you feel dizzy, weak, tired, or generally unwell.

Wear securely fitting slippers with a non-slip sole and no trailing laces.

If you wear glasses, put them on before moving.

Make sure you know where you are going — ask for help until you are sure of your way.

If you have anything to carry, ask the staff for help until you feel completely stable on your feet.

If you have a catheter bag, make sure it is fitted securely to your leg and is not likely to drop on the floor and trip you up.

Make sure pajama bottoms are tied securely and are not likely to fall down and trip you up.

Your privacy, dignity, spiritual and cultural beliefs will be respected at all times.

Bathrooms and toilets are designed to provide a range of facilities appropriate to your care while offering maximum privacy.

Wherever possible we aim to accommodate patients in same-sex accommodation. Sometimes this is not possible, but staff will make sure your privacy and dignity are maintained if you are sharing an area with members of the opposite sex.

The security team aims to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff and visitors. They patrol inside the hospital, the grounds and car parks 24/7. They also work with traffic staff, police and ambulance officers to provide added assistance should a situation occur.

Access control

All staff carry Health NZ identification cards that should be visible.

To gain access to the wards after visiting times contact the ward for permission and security will be contacted to escort visitors after hours.

CCTV (Security Cameras)

For safety and protection, CCTV operates in both hospitals, outside and inside the grounds

Fire drill

Fire and disaster drills are conducted regularly. Follow staff instructions and do not panic if an alarm sounds.

Valuables

We recommend you leave your valuables at home.

A lockable drawer is available in most bedside lockers if you have valuables on you when you arrive at hospital. Ask the nurses for a key and remember to return it before you leave hospital.

We cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to personal property kept at the bedside.

Zero tolerance to violence

We have a zero tolerance attitude to violence and aggression.

Tell nursing staff if you experience violence or aggression.

Hospital-acquired infections are considered patient harm. When they do occur, we follow up to ensure we understand the cause and how we may be able to minimise occurrences in the future.

Washing hands is a major focus for our staff — feel free to ask if they have washed their hands.

Hand sanitisers are provided throughout the hospital for everyone to use.

Staff are responsible for making sure your bed and ward area are cleaned regularly. If you are not happy with the standard of cleanliness or see that something has been missed, report this to the nurse in charge.

Patients and visitors can help us to keep people safe by:

• bringing in your own toiletries and not sharing them
• washing and drying your hands thoroughly, before and after eating, after using the bathroom or changing nappies — ask a nurse for hand wipes or gel if you cannot reach a sink
• keeping the top of your locker or bed side table free from clutter so it can be cleaned properly
• using hand sanitiser before entering and after leaving clinical areas
• using hand sanitiser before and after touching patients and surfaces
• not coming into hospital if you feel unwell in any way as you will be exposing already sick patients to risk of infection
• supervising tamariki at all times when they come to hospital
• not bringing items into hospital that could carry infection to patients or the clinical environment, such as flowers, plants, toys.

Tell us about your pain

Tell your healthcare provider if you are in pain. Remember, it is:

• OK to ask for pain relief
• easier to manage pain early.

Know your pain

To help manage your pain early, tell us:

• where the pain is
• when it is worst
• what makes it better and worse
• how it feels, such as sharp, dull, stabbing or burning
• how much pain you are in when resting and moving — try using the pain scale of 0 no pain to 10 worst pain possible.

Pain medicines

We may not be able to take away all your pain but can help you manage it. If you are taking pain medicines, ask:

• do I need them
• how they work and how to take them
• about side effects and how to manage them.

Paracetamol (such as Panadol®, Paracare®) is good by itself for mild pain. For stronger pain it is given regularly and will help reduce the amount of stronger pain medicines you might need. Strong pain medicines can only be prescribed by a doctor and include:

• tramadol
• codeine
• oxycodone
• morphine.

Paracetamol is not addictive, but strong pain medicines can be. Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any concerns about this.

Tablets or liquids are the most common and easy way to take medicines. Sometimes an injection or drip may be used — ask your nurse if this is right for you.

Other ways to help manage your pain could include:

• special ways of moving or coughing
• breathing techniques
• music.

Side effects

Pain medicines are effective but can also cause side effects. To help reduce these, let us know if you:

• use other medicines at home
• are allergic to any medicines.

Some side effects you need tell your healthcare provider include if you:

• have not pooed (had a bowel motion) in the last 24 hours
• have darker than usual poos
• are feeling sick (nausea) or throwing up (vomiting)
• have things that look like coffee grounds come out when you throw up
• feel more sleepy or dizzy than usual.

Prepare for home

Before you leave hospital make sure you ask:

• how much pain you can expect
• when should it get better
• how long you should be on pain medication
• what you can do to reduce pain
• about any symptoms or side effects you need to watch out for and what to do if you get them.

You will generally get a prescription for 3 to 5 days of pain medication when you leave hospital. Talk to your main healthcare provider if your pain continues.

Every ward has a Quality board that displays information about the quality of services we provide.

Quality boards are regularly updated to provide information about our work to ensure patient safety and improve patient and staff experience. They provide figures to show you how well wards are performing and what we are doing to continuously improve.

Quality boards also have the name and contact number of the Charge nurse manager for each ward so that you know who to contact with any questions or concerns.

We have plans in place to respond to emergencies, which can include:

• chemical spills
• clinical emergencies
• infectious disease outbreaks, such as Ebola
• external emergencies
• fire
• flood
• infrastructure emergencies
• security emergencies.

In case of emergency staff will keep you safe and informed.