West Coast Health

11/05/2026

If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or your mood feels off, support is here for you.

West Coast Health offers a range of services to support your mental health and wellbeing, depending on your needs.

💚 Health Improvement Practitioners (HIPs) work alongside GP teams across the Coast to support your mental wellbeing. They can help with stress, sleep, low mood, anxiety, and the pressures of parenting and whānau life. HIPs focus on brief, practical support to help you through challenging moments, while building on what’s already working well. You can book an appointment with a HIP through your general practice team.

💚 Brief Intervention Counselling offers short-term support for adults. Our clinicians are registered mental health professionals who can support you with stress, anxiety, depression, and concerns about alcohol and other drugs. You can ask your GP for a referral.

Learn more about these services and other support options on our website:
https://westcoasthealth.nz/your-health/mental-health

11/05/2026

11/05/2026

Kia ora e te whānau 🌿

A friendly reminder that our FREE Hauora Clinic is on tomorrow (Tuesday 12th May) at the Whare:
🌿 Nurse Practitioner Jennie Bell
🌿 Pharmacist Ginny Brailsford
🌿 Rongoā Practitioner Ema Weepu
🌿 Jackie from Oranga Hā Tai Poutini - Stop Smoking West Coast

🕘 9:00am – 12:30pm

Come along for support, advice, and care — whether it’s a check-in, medication kōrero, rongoā Māori, or support to quit smoking, our team are here for you 🤍
If you’ve been thinking about quitting, Jackie is here to tautoko — with the opportunity to receive up to $300 in New World vouchers over 4 weeks for those who sign up ✨

Appointments for the Nurse Practitioner fill up quickly, so get in touch to book. Otherwise, feel free to drop in!

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

Good morning, Buller, another wet day I’m afraid.

The Met Service have updated the orange warning in place for Buller. Note that peak rates are quite high at 20-30mm/hr. At those levels you will see surface flooding from stormwater and some of our creeks rise rapidly.
Jones Creek in Northern Buller and the highway in that area was impacted by flooding and debris overnight, but the road is currently open. However road crews are continuing to monitor as further impacts are possible. The heavier falls for today are forecasted for mid-afternoon onwards so care should be taken if you are travelling through this area. Care should be taken while driving as heavy downpours can cause localised impacts such as slips at any time on other roads. Check NZTA for latest updates.
https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/west-coast

Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Area: Buller District
Period: 10hrs from 9:00am Friday to 7:00pm Friday
Forecast: On top of the rain that has already accumulated, expect 100 to 130 mm about the ranges, and lesser amounts near the coast. Peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h expected during this afternoon with thunderstorms possible. Note, heavy showers are expected to continue into Saturday morning.
Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.

08/05/2026

The west and north of the South Island is in for a double dose of heavy rain to end the week, as a front moves over the region today, followed by a rapidly deepening low pressure system during Friday and Saturday.

Heavy Rain Warnings have been issued for the northern and western South Island (excluding Fiordland), with Heavy Rain Watches for Southland and Taranaki Maunga.

Strong Wind Warnings have been issued for Taranaki, Wellington, and parts of Marlborough and the Canterbury High Country. Strong Wind Watches are in place for Taihape, inland Whanganui, Buller, Grey, northern Westland, and northern Fiordland.

Parts of Westland District, and the headwaters of the Otago and southern Canterbury lakes and rivers, have already seen 50 to 100 mm of rain since midnight last night, and can expect further heavy rain until this evening (Thursday).

Yet another round of heavy rain is set to arrive in these regions Friday afternoon and continue into Saturday. Further warnings are likely to be issued for this event, and for the ranges of Westland District the total rainfall for Thursday through Saturday is expected to reach 500 to 600 mm.

For the Grey and Buller districts, the heavy rain is expected to fall from today until Friday evening, with parts of Nelson and Marlborough joining suit from this evening.

If you are in a region under a Heavy Rain Warning, and it is safe to do so, clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. In general, avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.

Strong winds are expected as the low pressure system crosses the South Island and its associated fronts sweep over the North Island on Friday and Saturday. Taranaki, Wellington, Marlborough southeast of the Awatere River, and the Canterbury High Country north of the Rangitata River can all expect severe gale north to northwesterlies in exposed places, with gusts of 130 to 140 km/h. For Taranaki and Marlborough, the risk is on Friday from 3pm to midnight, while Wellington and the Canterbury High Country will see the winds stick around until Saturday morning.

If you’re in an area covered by a Strong Wind Warning, prepare your property by securing items that can be picked up by strong winds. If you need to drive, drive cautiously.

Those strong winds will also drive heavy swell into some marine areas. Combined waves of 4 to 5 metres are expected for the west coast on Friday, rising above 6 metres in the south Saturday and spreading to most areas of the country exposed to the south on Sunday.

06/05/2026

Keeping on top of your medication and picking up repeats early can help make sure you don’t run out if your plans change 💊

If you have any questions about your medications, make sure to have a chat with your local community pharmacist.

06/05/2026

After-hours primary care and pharmacy this weekend:

Kā Ora Telecare provides people with a quick and easy solution to connect with a health care professional for afterhours medical advice and treatment.

The service is open 5pm to 8am (evening and overnight) on Weekdays, and 24 hours in Weekends and Public Holidays.

You can connect with the Ka Ora Telecare team by:

1. Calling 0800 2 KA ORA (0800 252 672)

You will first be greeted by a Kaiawhina or a Nurse. The team will assess your health needs, and you can either see a clinician directly or you may also choose to schedule an appointment later in the evening.

2. Booking an Appointment online through the ‘Book Appointment’ button for Ka Ora.

Available from 5pm to 10pm weekdays and 8am to 10pm weekends and public holidays.

By booking an appointment, you will have a specific appointment time to connect directly with the medical team over phone or video.

For more information about the after-hours service, check out our website - https://westcoasthealth.nz/your-health/after-hours-care

Weekend Pharmacy:

Unichem Olsen's Pharmacy is open Saturday 10am - 2pm
Unichem Te Nīkau Pharmacy is open Sunday 12pm - 2pm **

Westland Pharmacy is open Saturday 9.30am - 12.30pm
Westland Pharmacy is open Sunday 10am - 12pm

Buller Pharmacy is open Saturday 9.30am - 12.30pm

Ka Ora West Coast Primary Care Practices are closed at night and on the weekend. You can access care at night-time or on the weekend by accessing Ka Ora Telecare. Telecare means the service is provided via the phone or internet.  Ka Ora Telecare provides people living in rural areas with a quick a...

06/05/2026

Severe Weather Warnings
Heavy rain for the north and west of the South Island
A front moves northwards over the South Island during today and Thursday, bringing heavy rain to western and northern parts of the Island.
Note, an active low pressure system is expected to move over the South Island during Friday and Saturday, bringing more heavy rain and possibly severe gales.
Please keep up to date with forecasts as more Warnings and Watches will likely be issued in the coming days.
Area: Buller District

Period: 32hrs from 9am Thu, 7 May - 5pm Fri, 8 May

Forecast: Expect 200 to 300 mm of rain about the ranges, and lesser amounts near the coast. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h expected during Friday with thunderstorms possible. Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.

Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously. Preparedness advice.

Area: Westland District

Period: 24hrs from 6pm Wed, 6 May - 6pm Thu, 7 May

Forecast: Expect 200 to 300 mm of rain about the ranges, and lesser amounts near the coast. The largest accumulations are likely about and south of the glaciers, where some models indicate 350 mm is possible about the ranges. Peak rates of 25 to 35 mm/h expected during Thursday with thunderstorms possible. Note, another period of heavy rain is expected from Friday afternoon. Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.

Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously. Preparedness advice.

Area: Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound

Period: 21hrs from noon Wed, 6 May - 9am Thu, 7 May

Forecast: Expect 140 to 180 mm of rain, especially north of George Sound. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h expected Thursday morning with thunderstorms possible. Note, another period of heavy rain is expected from Friday afternoon. Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.

Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously. Preparedness advice.