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Media information

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About us

Health New Zealand - Waikato Media and Communications team manage all contact with the media and requests from media agencies to film and photograph on our sites. We can also provide images of our hospitals and relevant staff for use in publications.

Our latest media releases can be found on the Waikato NewsRoom website. 

We will work with media on reasonable requests for information and will endeavour to facilitate Health NZ's decision on your information requests as soon as possible, and meet your reasonable deadlines where we can. 

After-hours media enquiries

We have limited cover outside normal business hours, during weekends and public holidays. It is best to contact the media phone or news email in the first instance.

We aim to:

  • Respond promptly and appropriately to requests from media and to work effectively with them in a helpful and professional manner
  • Ensure that all information given to the media about Waikato DHB is accurate
  • Ensure that all coverage about Waikato DHB is clear and accurate
  • Ensure that patient, staff, and commercial confidentiality is observed in all communication

Ensure that the presence of news media personnel on our sites does not interfere with the privacy and safety of patients and staff, and Waikato DHB’s ability to provide health services.

Patient status inquiries:

Health New Zealand - Waikato may at times release general information on the status of a patient in a hospital. Below is an explanation of what each patient status indicates:

  • Stable: condition unchanged
  • Serious, but stable: vital signs stable, within normal limits, patient conscious and comfortable, indicators favourable
  • Serious: vital signs stable and within normal limits, patient conscious but may be uncomfortable, indicators questionable
  • Critical: vital signs unstable, not within normal limits, patient may not be conscious, indicators unfavourable

Privacy

Health New Zealand - Waikato maintains privacy in our information and we manage requests in line with our legal requirements. Click for more information on patient privacy or the Official Information Act. This means that when we are approached by media for information, opinion or comment on individual patients or staff, we are unlikely to provide any personal information to you.

Sometimes media or other third parties will provide a “privacy waiver”. We will consider these, but you should be aware there are a number of factors around consent that Health NZ will need to consider. Even if a valid “privacy waiver” is provided, we may decide not to release personal patient information to the media where it is not in the best interests of the patient, having regard to factors including patient safety and wellbeing, and the privacy of others.

Social media Transparency Statement

How we use social media

We use social media to share health updates, health system information, feedback opportunities, new content from our channels, insights into our work and job vacancies, and other relevant content.

We can’t provide health advice on social media. Consult your GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for health concerns. Dial 111 in emergencies.

If we perceive a risk of harm to someone, we may alert the Police or Netsafe. However, our accounts aren’t monitored 24/7 and aren’t for emergencies. If there’s immediate danger, call 111 or seek mental health services.

Comments and questions

We appreciate your feedback but can’t respond to all comments individually. Our accounts are monitored weekdays 9am-5pm and occasionally outside these hours.

We may share third-party content for informational purposes, without endorsing its accuracy. Following or liking a page doesn’t imply endorsement.

Our employees may participate in online forums. Their views are personal, even when they identify as our staff.

Our staff acting in an official capacity on social media will be responding through a Health New Zealand social media account, on behalf of the organisation. If an employee is speaking on their own social media account in an official capacity for Health New Zealand, they will make this clear in the content.

Enforcing community guidelines

Health New Zealand reserves the right to:

  • decide what content we think is inappropriate
  • hide or remove inappropriate content
  • ban users from social media communities.

We may delete content which contains:

  • racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other hate speech
  • statements that might be defamatory
  • confidential information (including personal details or health information)
  • misinformation or disinformation
  • spam or advertising
  • offensive language, abusive language, or threats
  • statements that are off-topic or derail the conversation
  • nudity, pornography, or child abuse
  • excessive violence
  • content that is illegal, gives instructions on illegal activity, or encourages people to break the law.

If you find content on any of our accounts which breaks these guidelines, please tell us. 

We may use comments and messages submitted to our social media pages for reporting, after removing names and other personal details.

Email hnzsocialmedia@health.govt.nz if you have concerns or questions about our social media, or any of our content.