Health NZ – Nelson Marlborough

19/04/2026

Life begins with hā (breath), but Whooping Cough can threaten that precious life force.

Whooping cough spreads easily and can cause bad coughing making it very hard for pēpi/babies to breathe. Especially newborn pēpi who haven’t had their 6-week immunisations.

If you’re hapū/pregnant, a free whooping cough vaccine from 13 weeks can protect your pēpi by passing on immunity until they’re old enough for their own immunisations at 6 weeks old. Boosters at 4 and 11 years help keep protection strong.

Protect your taonga. 💙

Book an immunisation today with your usual doctor, Hauora Māori or Pacific health provider, pharmacy, or online at bookmyvaccine.nz

02/04/2026

🐰 Find the right care for you and your whānau during the holidays:
Online GP Care (24/7) - Book same-day appointments with NZ-qualified doctors if you can’t see your usual GP or you don’t have one. Book via http://spr.ly/6183B6onzL
Pharmacy - Great for coughs, colds, minor infections, emergency contraception, immunisations and more.
Self-care advice - Visit http://spr.ly/6188B6onz4 for trusted tips on managing symptoms at home.
Healthline - Free 24/7 advice from qualified nurses and paramedics: 0800 611 116.
Your usual GP or nurse – check their opening hours. Some may offer video or phone appointments if you’re away.
After-hours or urgent care clinic - For non-life-threatening issues like cuts, sprains or minor injuries.
Ka Ora - Rural Telecare. After-hours help from a doctor or nurse: 0800 252 672
Emergency? Call 111 - For chest pain, breathing problems, choking, unconsciousness, severe bleeding, severe allergy/anaphylaxis, severe burns, or severe pain. Please keep ED for emergencies only.
Find the right healthcare: http://spr.ly/6183B6onzh

31/03/2026

Winter is approaching. Protect yourself and your family.

Flu vaccines are available starting today, 1 April, to safeguard you and your community this winter.

Alongside flu, Covid, and whooping cough also spread more easily in colder months. Immunisation effectively reduces severe illness, hospitalisation, and the spread of winter viruses.

✅ Flu vaccines available now
✅ Covid vaccines year-round; ensure you’re up-to-date before winter
✅ Free vaccines for those aged 65+, anyone who is pregnant, and people with certain health conditions.

👶 Protect pēpi this winter
Whooping cough (pertussis) can be serious for babies. Pregnant women should get immunised to pass some immunity to newborns until they receive their own immunisations at 6 weeks. (Ensure baby's immunisations are timely!)

You can book vaccines at many pharmacies, GPs, Hauora Māori, and Pacific health providers, as well as some midwives and community vaccinators.

📅 Book your vaccination online at 👉 bookmyvaccine.health.nz

In addition to vaccination, prevent winter illness by staying home if unwell, washing hands frequently, and practicing good hygiene.

26/03/2026

Heavy rain warnings and watch are in place for parts of the Nelson Tasman region. To learn more see and follow Nelson Tasman Civil Defence for the latest info 👇

Keep an eye on local councils, MetService New Zealand and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Nelson, Tasman & Marlborough social media channels and websites to stay informed with the latest updates, roading and weather information for your area.

12/03/2026

NELSON HOSPITAL PEDESTRIAN ACCESS UPDATE

From Monday 16 March, the pedestrian footpath route from Franklyn Street to Nelson Hospital’s main entrance will change slightly. This adjustment allows our contractors to expand the construction zone as they prepare the site for the new temporary 28-bed inpatient unit, which will be located to the left of the main entrance. Please follow the pedestrian signage to help guide you safely along the path.

We’re making good progress, with the new unit planned to be operational in the second half of this year. It will provide much-needed inpatient capacity and create space to relocate services while major redevelopment work continues.

Thank you for your patience and support as this important project takes shape.

09/03/2026

Health NZ dietitians Izzy and Lindsay share simple, practical tips for healthier kids’ lunchboxes ⚡
Find more easy nutrition advice: healthnz.govt.nz/health-topics/keeping-healthy/eating-well

03/03/2026

HPV (human papillomavirus) is one of the most common viruses in the world. For many people it causes no harm, but it can lead to several preventable cancers.

✅ The HPV vaccine is the best protection against HPV. It’s a safe and effective way to protect people of all genders.

💙 The HPV vaccine is free for people aged 9 - 26. Most young people are offered the vaccine at school, usually in Year 7 or 8. This is the best time to vaccinate and get long lasting protection.

🏫 Missed it at school? You, or your whānau, can still catch up. It’s easy to get the HPV vaccine from your local healthcare providers. You can also book online through Book My Vaccine.

👫HPV affects everyone. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer caused by HPV, but it’s not the only one. Around a third of HPV related cancers affect men.

🫶When everyone is vaccinated, it helps protect the whole community.

ℹ️ Find out more and book your vaccine today (link in the first comment).

03/03/2026

If you're heading to the Pacific Islands, take extra care to avoid mosquito bites and protect yourself and your whānau from dengue.

New Zealand has seen a rise in travellers returning with dengue, especially from the Cook Islands.

Planning a trip? Protect yourself:

✅ Wear light-coloured, long-sleeve clothing

✅ Use insect repellent with DEET (recommended concentrations are 20% - 50% for adults and 20% - 30% for children over 2 months old)

✅ Avoid swampy areas or standing water

✅ Sleep under mosquito nets or in screened rooms

Older adults and young children are especially at risk of severe illness. Stay safe and follow local health advice.

Learn more: info.health.nz/dengue

20/02/2026

We’re excited to share that construction is now underway on Nelson Hospital’s new temporary 28-bed inpatient unit, an exciting milestone in our hospital redevelopment journey.

It was a pleasure to welcome Minister of Health Simeon Brown MP, Mayor of Nelson Hon Dr Nick Smith and other special guests to bless the site and officially turn the sod this morning.

The 28-bed unit will allow services to be relocated while major redevelopment work progresses at Nelson Hospital.

We’re looking forward to seeing the unit take shape and it is planned to be operational in the second half of this year. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue building for the future of healthcare in our region.

20/02/2026

Just a reminder there are changes to access around Nelson Hospital’s campus to allow construction to get underway for our new temporary 28-bed inpatient unit. Planned to be operational in the second half of this year, the new unit will provide extra capacity to help ease bed pressures, improve patient flow, and support our teams while major redevelopment works progress.

What you need to know:

🚧 The internal access road linking the car park off Franklyn Street to the main public car park is closed in both directions (ED access remains open via Franklyn Street and Waimea Road).

🚗 Accessible parking remains available in front of the main entrance via Tipahi Street.

🛺 The hospital shuttle buggy will continue operating in the main car park, but will not be able to travel to the ED during the initial stages of construction.

🚶‍♂️ Pedestrian access from Franklyn Street to the main entrance remains available via the pathway near the bus stop.

Thank you for your patience as we take this important step toward providing much needed capacity and improving healthcare for our region.

17/02/2026

To support our wider hospital redevelopment, from Wednesday 18 February there will be some changes to access and movement around the Nelson Hospital campus.

From today, please note:

🚧 The internal access road linking the car park off Franklyn Street to the main public car park will be closed (ED access remains open via Franklyn Street and Waimea Road).

🚗 Accessible parking remains available in front of the main entrance via Tipahi Street.

🛺 The hospital shuttle buggy will continue operating in the main car park, but will not be able to travel to the ED during the initial stages of construction.

🚶‍♂️Pedestrian access near the Franklyn Street bus stop will be redirected as construction progresses.

We acknowledge there will be some disruption and appreciate everyone’s patience as work towards providing much needed capacity and improving healthcare for our region.

21/01/2026

A reminder to take extra care around swimming spots across the Top of the South, especially after rain. Even when the sun’s out, water quality can take a while to recover. Thanks for helping keep our communities safe!

While we all wish for an endless summer of perfect swimming conditions, it’s worth mentioning the potential for the water quality at your favourite spot to change with the weather and/or environmental factors.

Rain is the most common reason for these changes, and if we happen to get a downpour, our recommendation is to avoid entering the water for at least 36 hours, but preferably 48. Even after the sun has come out, there is still a risk to swimmers.

We are well into our routine testing of water quality, and in most cases, the results are good across most spots – Moturoa/Rabbit Island, for example, remains a perennial winner for safe swimming.

Some sites are more vulnerable to high faecal indicator bacteria than others, and we have had several instances of higher readings in recent weeks. However, we have not encountered any new areas of concern. We’ll have signs up letting everyone know where issues exist.

You can also check the LAWA can I swim here page for the status of many popular swim sites around the region – lawa.org.nz/explore-data/swimming.

It's also timely to remind everyone to be aware of toxic algae in our rivers. Please be vigilant and familiarise yourself with what the toxic algae looks and feels like – particularly if you're a dog owner, a parent with toddlers, or are immuno-compromised.

This alga is natural and occurs during extended periods of low flow in rivers. It is black and forms gelatinous mats on the riverbed. It can also have a distinctive musty smell which is attractive to dogs.

If you see any of this alga, it would be wise to put your dog on a lead, and we strongly advise preventing your dog from scavenging, or playing in or near the water if the alga is present.

You can see the latest water quality and toxic algae results at tasman.govt.nz/swimming-water and tasman.govt.nz/toxic-algae-monitoring-results.