Covid-19 coronavirus: Family members frustrated at Middlemore Hospital still restricting visits

Counties Manukau District Health Baord (DHB) has kept its hospital restricts at alert level 3, despite the country moving into alert level 1 on Monday. Photo / File

Frustration is growing for family members desperate to visit loved ones at Middlemore Hospital but who have not been allowed because of lingering Covid-19 restrictions.

Other hospitals have relaxed restrictions since the country moved to alert level one but Middlemore says its more stringent measures are necessary to combat the spread of infection.

One vulnerable tetraplegic grandma who almost died last week has been lying in hospital in pain and waited two hours for a nurse to help her go to the toilet.

Her daughter Cynthia Hancox says her basic needs could have been met if family were able to be with her and help care for her.

"It's just wrong. A health system that refuses to allow all family and friends of patients to visit is not keeping them safe, it's endangering them," Hancox told the Herald.

Her mum was rushed to Middlemore Hospital last Wednesday on June 3 where - after hours of waiting in ED - it was discovered she had broken her hip.

She was taken into surgery the next day and her heart stopped beating on the operating table.

Hancox saw her mum for the first time today after driving almost eight hours from Foxton as soon as she was given the green light to visit.

Her husband wasn't able to go with her and other family members who live near the hospital had still not been allowed in.

Hancox is just one family member Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown has gone into battle for this past week after Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) kept its hospital restrictions at alert level 3, despite the country moving into alert level 1 on Monday.

"This is unacceptable - as it means family and friends continue to be unable to visit loved ones in hospital with very limited exceptions," Brown said.

Only family members from the same bubble can visit loved ones in hospital.

The DHB plans to lift restrictions slightly from Monday June 15 but children can only visit if the family applies under compassionate grounds.

The policy will allow two visitors per patient at any one time during visiting hours only (2pm-8pm).

Fepulea'i Margie Apa, Counties Manukau chief executive officer, said the priority was keeping patients and staff safe as they worked to maintain infection prevention control and prepare for potential surges.

"We are well into our preparation for winter and the hospital is already at 85 per cent capacity, on top of Covid-19 screening.

"At Middlemore Hospital alone, we have more than 2000 visitors coming on site every day to see patients and attend outpatient clinics.

"We are working hard to ensure a balance between health and safety and ensuring visitors get the access they need, which is why we are managing the number of people coming to our hospitals and other sites."

Brown wrote to Apa on Wednesday asking she urgently review the DHB's visiting policy as New Zealand had zero cases of Covid-19 and with the border remaining shut it was unlikely to see any new cases in the foreseeable future.

"New Zealanders have sacrificed a lot to fight Covid-19. However with the change to level 1 I would request that you urgently review your visiting policy for CMDHB.

"Auckland Hospital, Waitakere Hospital and North Shore Hospital have all removed their visiting restrictions with the move to Level 1 – and hope that CMDHB can follow suit, sooner than the planned 15th of June."