Te Whare Ahuru Acute Inpatient Unit

Te Whare Ahuru is a 24 hour mental health assessment and treatment service for adults aged from 18 upwards who are experiencing serious mental health concerns.

The focus is on recovery and returning people to their usual life with community support if needed. We aim to provide the best possible clinical care in a respectful, supportive, safe and caring environment.

The service is for people who live in the Hutt Valley who are experiencing severe mental illness. We sometimes admit people from Wairarapa and the wider Wellington region.

Referrals to Te Whare Ahuru can be made via our specialist mental health and addiction services only. If you or someone you know needs urgent help, call MHAIDS 24/7 on 0800 745 477 or find other options for support here.  

When the person arrives they are assigned a care team including a responsible clinician, usually a consultant psychiatrist, and a nurse.

These are the person’s main contact people throughout their stay. Treatment and care is also provided by a team of trained professionals working as a multidisciplinary team.

There is a range of professional and support staff who work at the unit. Staff wear identification badges and you can ask them more about their role in the unit.

Here are examples of what we provide:

• Occupational therapist engages people in everyday activities of interest, paid or volunteer work, outside interests and activities to get them on the road to feeling better.
• Mental health nurses help with medication, advocacy and assessment.
• Mental health support workers focuson people’s comfort and their personal cares.
• Social workers provide talking therapy, support with families, psychosocial education, support with social services and connecting people with communities.
• Psychiatrists can prescribe medication if it is the best option.

Having a family member or friend in hospital can be worrying and stressful. Staff are able to provide whānau with information about mental illness and the treatment options the unit has to offer. We can also refer people to other organisations for independent information and support.

Visiting hours are by arrangement only between the hours of 2.30 to 8pm. Please call ahead to book, due to limited family visiting room availability.

We encourage visits by family or friends. Maintaining social contacts can play a positive role in people’s recovery.

Please do not take photos or recordings of the ward or patients. Client confidentiality is important.

Staff may ask that a patient has a maximum of two visitors at once.

Children under 16 may visit certain areas of the ward. However they must be supervised by an adult (not the client) at all times. Please discuss this with a nurse.

Please do not bring the following items into the ward: plastic bags, illicit substances, glass, anything sharp, medications. Please be aware staff are expected to check all items coming into the ward for safety.

Te Whare Ahuru promotes a smokefree environment. Please do not smoke anywhere in the ward.

Referrals to Te Whare Ahuru can be made via our specialist mental health and addiction services only. If you have already been referred to our service, please use the contact details below.

• Phone: 04 5666 999 (ask for Te Whare Ahuru)
• Address: High Street, Lower Hutt (part of the Hutt Hospital campus) - see map of Hutt Hospital campus.

Car parking is available.