No visitors to ED: Hawke's Bay DHB changes policy, a day into alert level 2

Hawke's Bay Hospital's main entrance. Photo / File

The Hawke's Bay DHB has reviewed its emergency department policy, backflipping on a decision that would have allowed patients to have one person with them under alert level 2.

On Wednesday Hawke's Bay DHB said under level 2, high risk areas such as the emergency department, intensive care, mental health inpatient unit, special care baby unit and maternity units would allow one visitor and one visit per day.

In other hospital areas it was still one visitor at a time, but more than one person was able to visit during the day, but each person could only visit once a day.

But on Friday, a day after alert level 2 came into force, the DHB reviewed the policy following feedback from senior Emergency Department clinicians, who asked for the "no visitor" policy under levels 3 and 4 to remain in place.

Hawke's Bay Hospital's head of emergency department Mark Barlow said the physical constraints of the department made it impossible for people to be able to maintain physical distancing of at least a metre between patients and staff, if visitors were able to come into the department.

Barlow said while his team was optimistic the risk of Covid-19 infection in Hawke's Bay was remote, it couldn't be ruled out entirely and he needed to ensure the safety of his patients, visitors and staff who worked in the department.

"We understand for anyone coming into ED it can be a very stressful and emotional time," he said.

"But until we are completely confident there is no risk of Covid infection in New Zealand we need to protect everyone in the department.

"Our staff will be doing all they can to help patients liaise with family members and discretion, under exceptional circumstances, may be applied to allow visitors but only with the agreement of the clinical nurse manager."

Acting chief medical and dental officer John Gommans said visiting hours of between 1pm and 8pm in other parts of the hospital would be strictly enforced.

Security guards at the main entrance to Hawke's Bay Hospital and other DHB inpatient medical facilities would collect contact phone numbers and names of all visitors in case there was a need for contact tracing.

People going to a DHB facility for an outpatient, radiology or laboratory appointment were advised to go alone unless they had been advised to bring someone with them or required assistance.

The exceptions to this were oncology appointments, or if someone was accompanying a child.