Media enquiries

Please send media enquiries regarding Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough to [email protected] who will be able to assist. This media inbox is monitored from 7am - 8am weekdays and at regular intervals over the weekend when we run an on-call team. 

For patient status updates and OIA requests please see instructions below. 


Patient status updates

We have introduced a privacy waiver policy to ensure that we are putting the patient at the centre of any decision making when disclosing information about them to the media.

Where media representatives request information held by Health NZ about an individual patient’s care or treatment, we adhere to the principles outlined in rule 11 of the Health Information Privacy Code (HIPC) and section 9(2)(a) of the OIA.

Please note, while the HIPC authorises disclosure of patient status updates, this is not a mandatory requirement and Health NZ is not obligated to provide comment on, disclose information or express an opinion about an individual patient’s care to the media.

These decisions are often made on a case-by-case basis and can involve local clinical leadership, our Legal and Privacy teams. This includes deciding whether to rely on a privacy waiver as a basis for sharing this type of personal information.


Patient status terminology and definitions

  • 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.

Confirmation of a patient's death occurs only with family consent and after notifying next of kin. Sometimes we will refer you to the police media liaison officer rather than comment ourselves.


Media visits and requests to interview, photograph or film

Contact the communications team for permission to access any of our hospitals, facilities or other property.

This includes circumstances where you may wish to interview, photograph or film patients or staff. The communications team will arrange consent; patient or parental permission alone is insufficient because there may be clinical or privacy considerations.

We protect the safety and privacy of our patients, visitors and staff 

  • All people interviewed, photographed or filmed must first give consent in accordance with the Health Information Privacy Code. This includes people in the background

  • If asked, the media should confirm how recordings will be used

  • Health and safety procedures must be observed

  • Requests to stop recording, or for media to leave, must be adhered to

  • The recording must not hinder access to any building or facility.


OIA requests

Please sent all OIA requests to [email protected].