Publicity-seeking hospital visitors will be charged

Celebrities visiting Auckland hospitals may be asked for a donation if officials suspect their main motive is publicity.

The new policy on visits to Auckland City Hospital and Starship Children's Health follows the well-received visit of Prince William last month.

Auckland District Health Board chairman Garry Smith said yesterday: "Often people will only want to go to the young and photogenic.

"We want people to visit the elderly and maybe mental health patients.

"They deserve a visit as well. If they are genuinely interested in visiting, they will want to go and visit them as well."

If a visit was for the benefit of patients and the hospital, celebrities could come free, but if it was for the benefit of the guest, it was fair that they contribute.

The money would go to the more general A+ Trust health charity, rather than the children's hospital-focused Starship Foundation, which has arranged many celebrity visits to cheer up sick children and as part of fundraising schemes.

Mr Smith said the board adopted the policy on official guests after the royal visit, partly because officials were given only 24 hours' notice and the areas the Prince visited were determined by his security team.

"He was entirely welcome to visit, but the hospital is not supposed to be run by someone else's security. His turned out to be a good visit. He visited the elderly as well as the young and photogenic."

Chief executive Garry Smith and external communications co-ordinator Rachel Hughes will decide whether people - other than those with a right to view crown entities - can visit free or will be asked to pay a donation.

Mr Smith said the board received a number of visit requests from celebrities, sports clubs and international agents running medical tours. The visits were time-consuming for staff.