Hand sanitiser 'gone missing' from Rotorua Hospital

Hand sanitiser has been going missing from the hospital for a number of weeks. Photo / File

Hand sanitiser has been disappearing from Rotorua Hospital in recent weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Lakes District Health Board chief operating officer Alan Wilson told the Rotorua Daily Post he was aware hand sanitiser had been going missing from areas across the hospital but it was unclear if it was being taken by staff or visitors.

"It's very sad to think that items such as sanitiser are being taken as it is important to have these items on hand for our healthcare workforce.

"This is theft whether it's by members of the public or by staff, and theft is reported to the police. For staff, the matter would become a disciplinary issue."

The hand sanitiser is an important tool for the healthcare workforce, more so due to the threat of Covid-19. Photo / File

He said the sanitiser was an important tool for staff always, but more so due to the threat of Covid-19.

"All staff are constantly reminded to wash their hands with soap and water but in a number of clinical situations hand sanitiser provides a more appropriate solution because of the time involved.

"Hand hygiene is always really important in the healthcare setting and even more so with the infection threats posed by Covid-19."

While the loss of hand sanitiser was obviously a challenge he said currently the Lakes DHB had sufficient stock.

As of midday Sunday, there was still just one case of Covid-19 in Rotorua.

However, the Lakes District Health Board on Friday asked for no visitors for most patients in hospital care amid Covid-19 fears.

The health board put out a statement announcing the new rules and how it needed to reduce the routes by which the virus could be introduced into the hospital.

Visitors were asked not to visit patients in hospital unless they were in the palliative phase of their illness or seriously unwell.

Only one visitor would be allowed in at any given time and this person was expected to be the spokesperson for the family to keep others informed of the patient's condition.