Inpatient information

Operations

Feeling unwell before your operation? If you have a change in your health that has required medical attention or hospitalisation since your appointment with the surgeon OR have any of the following symptoms within 3 days of your operation, please let us know:

• Fevers/temperatures
• Diarrhoea/vomiting
• Infected wounds

Please call and speak with the surgical booker on 0800 787 442 (Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm) or email surgicalbookings@adhb.govt.nz

Auckland City Hospital & Greenlane Clinical Centre

Please bring the following items with you:

• Your passport, birth certificate or New Zealand citizenship certificate if you need to confirm that you are eligible to receive publicly funded healthcare.
• Appointment letter.
• Any relevant x-rays and scans.
• All medicines and ointments you are using (or a list of them).
• Medical devices, such as hearing aids and dentures.
• A small amount of cash ($20 or less).

For overnight stays

Storage space is limited so please do not bring unnecessary clothing. Please make arrangements with a family member or friend to wash your personal clothing as there are limited facilities for this in the hospital. We recommend personal items be named and that you bring:

• One change of comfortable day clothes.
• Night-dress or pyjamas and dressing gown.
• Slippers, shoes and/or jandals.
• Personal toiletries (for example a toothbrush and toothpaste).

If you are unsure about whether you need to bring anything else with you, please contact the specific service/department or call the main hospital number 09 367 0000.

When you arrive at hospital, a staff member will help you find the ward or unit required. They will show you how to call for assistance using the call bells at your bedside and in the bathroom. A folder with information about the hospital and health issues is in your bedside locker. If you have any questions, please ask a staff member.

Visit Starship Children's Health(external link) for information on what to bring if your child is being admitted overnight or coming to the day stay unit.

Check your referral letter for the location of your appointment.

Auckland City Hospital

Starship Children's Hospital

Greenlane Clinical Centre

If you need an interpreter, you must request this from the receptionist, doctor or nurse. Communication cards are available so patients and their families can point to the relevant icons to help the patient communicate immediate needs or wants with hospital staff  Arabic [PDF, 329 KB] | Blank [PDF, 87 KB]* | Burmese [PDF, 11 MB] | Chinese (simplified) [PDF, 107 KB] | Chinese (traditional) [PDF, 111 KB] | English [PDF, 1.5 MB] | French [PDF, 89 KB] | Hindi [PDF, 331 KB] | Korean [PDF, 103 KB] | Maori [PDF, 88 KB] | Russian [PDF, 98 KB] | Samoan [PDF, 88 KB] | Tongan [PDF, 89 KB] | Vietnamese [PDF, 91 KB]

You may find this card useful.

Your patient letter will tell you where you need to go when you get to hospital.

Our volunteers wear blue coats, they are available to provide friendly assistance and to help you find your way around. You’ll find them at all our main entrances.

Please let the receptionist know you when you arrive. If you have recently changed your address, phone number or GP please tell the receptionist.

If you cannot make it or are running late, please call the number on your patient letter. Please read this information before you arrive at Auckland City Hospital to help us make your stay as easy as possible. Please arrive on time or early.

Each day you will receive a menu with meal choices for the next day. Please fill in the menu and nutrition staff will record your choices. Dietitians can advise you on all aspects of your nutritional care. If you are on a special diet or you want to talk to a dietitian please tell your midwife or nurse when you arrive.

Special diets such as, diabetic, vegetarian, vegan, dairy and gluten free can be catered for. Please speak to your nurse if you need a special diet arranged, or you need help completing your menu card. The menu card you complete each day is for the next day's meal.

Meal times are specific to each ward but will be between:

• Breakfast: 7 - 9am
• Lunch: 12noon - 1.30pm
• Dinner: 5 - 6.30pm.

Yes, please give any regular medications (tablets, medicines, inhalers etc.) you have with you to your nurse so that they can be put into safe keeping in the medication room.

Your usual medications may be changed while you are in hospital. Using only hospital provided medications helps to prevent medication errors. Your medications will be returned to you on discharge.

Your ID wristband will be checked whenever you are given medication.

Ward rounds are your opportunity to meet with the senior doctor to discuss your medical care. Also attending are the registrar, junior doctor(s), nursing coordinator, your nurse and other support services (as required).

They will:

• Explain what is happening
• Assess your symptoms
• Listen to your concerns
• Discuss any tests that you need to have
• Discuss the results of tests you have already had
• Talk to you about what is wrong with you (your diagnosis)
• Discuss your goals, options for treatment and agree to a treatment plan with you
• Discharge planning including the likely day of your discharge
• Discuss what support is available to you within the hospital and when you are discharged
• Discuss how to manage your symptoms (including pain and breathlessness)
• Discuss your medications
• Recommend positive lifestyle changes if necessary
• Answer any questions you may have.

Yes, we know that you and your family may have many questions for the consultant. It is often hard to remember them during the ward round so we encourage you to write down any questions you might have in advance. Your nurse can assist you with this to ensure you get the most out of your discussion.

We also encourage you have a support person or family member attend the ward round.

Most patients can have visitors, you will be advised if you are unable to.

Visiting hours and information for visitors.

Māori health

Pacific health

Chaplaincy

Social workers

Auckland City Hospital

On the day you are due to leave hospital your nurse will discuss with you the likely time we will aim to discharge you by. Our usual time is 10am.You will be provided with a discharge letter outlining your stay in hospital and what treatment is needed once you leave. You will also receive a prescription for any medication and details of follow-up care.

Starship Children’s Hospital

Going home from Starship Hospital

Transition Lounge

On your day of discharge , the Transition Lounge is an area where you can wait for discharge paperwork and for your transport home. It provides comfortable reclining seats, refreshments, TV, phone, magazines and experienced nurses who are able to help with medications and supervise your care.

The Transition lounge is located on level 5, close to the shops and provides easy access for pick up from Car Park A. It is open 9am to 7pm

The Ministry of Health website includes information on how to find your NHI number.

If we have written to you to make an appointment, check the letter. Your NHI number can be found below the Auckland District Health Board address in the top right-hand corner of your appointment letter.

Find out if you are eligible for publicly funded healthcare in New Zealand.

To care for you in the best way possible our doctors, nurses and other health professionals directly associated with your care need to view your health information. Other Auckland DHB staff may need to view your information for administration, quality improvement activities, teaching and, in some cases, for medical research. We will always:

• Keep your personal information confidential.
• Let you view your records.
• Acknowledge your request for corrections to your records.
• Acknowledge your request not to release your information.

Your health information may be disclosed to another health provider involved in your treatment or where authorised by law. For further information about the privacy of your information, you can call the Auckland DHB Privacy Officer on: 09 367 0000.

In order to provide high-quality care, all of our patients are required to provide us with their name and contact details by completing a registration form. The form asks for information such as your name, date of birth, address, and other contact details. This information is stored within our Patient Management System and is what we use should we need to get in touch with you. 

Updating your patient information

If you need to update any of the contact details which you've previously provided to us, such as your address, phone number, or current GP, please speak with the receptionist or ward clerk when you are on-site at one of our locations. You can also do this from home by contacting our Information Management team via email at dataquality@adhb.govt.nz. Please be aware that you may be asked to fill out an Auckland DHB registration form.

Information on how to request your own record or the record of a dependant or family member.

Read more about your rights and privacy.

Auckland City Hospital and grounds are smokefree. Please ask your nurse or doctor if you require support to quit smoking or require nicotine replacement therapy during your stay in hospital.