NZNO nurses’ strikes planned for 2 and 4 September 2025
Nurses at Health NZ public hospitals and health services plan to strike from 7am to 11pm on both Tuesday 2 September and Thursday 4 September. Emergency departments will be open for emergencies only.
GPs, after-hours and urgent care clinics, and other community health providers are not affected by the strikes and will continue to operate as normal.
Our staff will call you a taxi if you need one. There is a freephone for local taxis at the main entrance by the security office.
Bus
There is a bus stop by the public car park on Maunu Road, Highway 14.
Shuttle services
Northland health operates the Kaitaia to Whangārei and Whangārei to Auckland Health Shuttle services Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. There are also private shuttle services.
Paid car parking is from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.
Free parking
There is no fee to drive into the hospital site and drop someone, as long as you leave within one hour.
The first one hour is free for the public. Weekends and after 5pm during the week are also free. Motorbikes and bicycles can park for free every day.
Carparks
There are more than 311 public only car parks. Public parking is well signposted. Reserved staff only car parks will have a large blue number painted in the bay. Please do not park in staff only bays.
Accessible parking
There are 33 accessible (disability) parks. The main public car park is accessed via Maunu Road (near the main hospital entrance).
Parking help
Our Parking Administrator and the hospital security team are here to help. They will be patrolling the car parks and can also be found at the security desk by the main hospital entrance.
Up to 2 Kaitiaki can be nominated by a patient and their whānau to tautoko (support) and assist healthcare teams in providing excellent hauora (care for wellness and health of the whole person) for their whānau member in hospital care. One Kaitiaki may be present each day.
Takawaenga staff visit Māori patients and whānau to make sure their needs are met. They provide:
Wairuatanga - spiritual guidance and support
Whakaute - respect, listen and, if possible, help with any questions or worries
Whakawhitiwhiti Korero - communicate on your behalf with hospital professionals, arrange whānau hui to korero about your care and discharge plans.
If you are deaf or do not speak English as your first language, ask your nurse or midwife to arrange an interpreter for you.
Free WiFi is available for patients and visitors. In your mobile device settings and Wi-Fi connections, look for and connect to ‘Hospital Hotspot’ and follow the steps. Wi-Fi access is issued for a 24-hour period, after which you will need to repeat the access connection steps.
A member of the nursing staff or the ward clerk will welcome you and show you to a room. You will not necessarily be in this room for your entire stay.
To call your nurse
You will always have a nurse assigned to your care. If you need help, ring your nurse by using the call button located on a panel behind your bed head.
Identification bracelet
Always keep your identification bracelet on while in hospital. If it is removed for any reason, please tell your nurse immediately.
Information
Written information about your particular condition may be available. Please ask the nursing staff.
Meals
A menu is provided each day for you to select your meals for the day ahead. Our nursing staff are happy to discuss any questions you may have about your diet or specific menu requests. If you need a special diet due to religious, ethnic or personal preference such as, if you are vegetarian or vegan - your nurse or ward clerk will arrange for the dietitian to discuss your needs with you.
For visitors there are 2 cafes, and vending machines are available on the ground floor near the Accident and Emergency Department.
A general guide to mealtimes:
Breakfast is between 7.30 and 8.30am Morning tea is from 10am Lunch is between 12 noon and 1pm Dinner is between 5pm and 6pm
Most wards have coffee and tea making facilities for patients to use. Check with your nurse. Biscuits of your own may be kept in an airtight container unless you are on a special hospital diet as part of your treatment.
Smoking
The hospital and grounds are smoke and vape free.
Please tell your nurse if you are a smoker as soon as possible after admission. If you want to give up smoking or vaping, Northland's Quit Coach will be able to help you. No drugs or alcohol are allowed in the hospital or hospital grounds.
Leaving the ward
Please do not leave the ward, other than for medical tests, without first checking with your nurse. To make sure you get proper care, we need to know where you are at all times.
Meals on Wheels and Home Help
If you have been using Meals on Wheels or other home help services, please ask a nurse to cancel them while you are in hospital.
Laundry
While you are in the hospital please arrange for a friend or relative to do your personal laundry. Contact the ward nurse manager if you do not have anyone who can help you.
Flowers
Your flowers will be delivered to you as soon as they arrive.
Phone
Card operated phones are available in the main foyers. Other ward telephones are not available for personal use.
Mail
Mail is delivered to all wards from Monday to Friday. Stamped outward mail may be given to your nurse or ward clerk for posting. A NZ Post box is located by the Emergency Department entrance.
The address to send mail to the hospital is:
Your Name Ward Number Whangārei Hospital Private Bag 9742 Whangārei
Emergency procedures
Our staff are fully trained in the safety procedures necessary to cope with emergency situations. In the event of an emergency please stay by your bed until a staff member tells you what to do.