Sending flowers to Southland Hospital

Southland Hospital, on Kew Road in the Invercargill suburb of Kew, opened in 2004, replacing the former Kew Hospital on the same site. Like other hospitals in the Southern district it keeps fresh flowers out of many wards.

Choose get-well flowers

Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas

Ward rules quoted from the hospital
Name and ward on the card
Local florists deliver the flowers

Flowers are restricted in some areas

Fresh flowers are not allowed in ICU, HDU, oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory, surgical or medical wards, or in multi-bed rooms (risk to patients with respiratory disorders). Check with ward reception before using a florist.

“Due to the risk that fresh flowers pose to patients with respiratory disorders, you cannot bring them into the following areas: intensive care unit, high dependency unit, oncology ward, cardiovascular ward, respiratory ward, surgical ward, medical ward, multi-bed rooms. If you are bringing flowers in or using florist delivery services, check with the ward reception.”

Restricted areas at Southland

Health NZ says that because of "the risk that fresh flowers pose to patients with respiratory disorders, you cannot bring them into the following areas":

intensive care unit
high dependency unit
oncology ward
cardiovascular ward
respiratory ward
surgical ward
medical ward
multi-bed rooms

Most general wards are therefore covered, and so is any shared room. In practice, the patients most likely to be able to receive flowers are those in single rooms on other wards, and even then the ward has the final say.

Before you call a florist

The hospital asks: "If you are bringing flowers in or using florist delivery services, check with the ward reception." Check with the ward before sending; the hospital's number is 03 218 1949. The hospital's mail format uses the patient's name, ward name, Southland Hospital, PO Box 828, Invercargill 9840, which shows the details staff need to find the right person.

The ground-floor gift shop

Southland Hospital has a gift shop in the ground floor foyer, open 10am to 4pm daily. If flowers are not suitable, it is a handy place to pick up a small gift on your way to the ward. A magazine, a card or a small treat can say just as much as a bouquet while the patient is in a restricted area.

Visiting hours at Southland Hospital

General visiting: 2pm to 8pm daily.
Children's ward: parents and caregivers can visit at any time.
Surgical ward: you can visit at any time, though fresh flowers are still not allowed there.

Flowers at home in Invercargill

A bouquet waiting at home after discharge avoids the ward rules altogether. See our Invercargill flower delivery page. Dunedin Hospital publishes the same list of restricted areas.

Parking and arriving

Health NZ says there is free car parking at Southland Hospital, with mobility parking near the main entrances and pick-up zones at both hospital entries. After-hours visitors must check in at the security counter beside the emergency department reception.

Services and the cafeteria

The hospital runs 24-hour emergency services and has mental health, a secondary birthing unit, surgical, medical and critical care areas, each with its own visiting policy. As the surgical and medical wards are both on the restricted list, a card is the simplest gesture for most patients.

There is a cafeteria on the ground floor of the main corridor, open 7:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays and 8:30am to 6:30pm at weekends. Interpreter services are available 24 hours a day in more than 55 languages, and the building is smoke and vape free.

The Hato Hone St John Waka Ora health shuttles help people get to health appointments.

Address for the order

Kew Road, Kew, Invercargill, 9812
Invercargill
Phone 03 218 1949

Write the patient’s full name and ward on the card and the order. Rules checked 6 November 2026; hospitals change their rules, so call the ward if you are unsure.