Hospitals are busy environments and can be stressful for many people, particularly if you are unsure what to expect on the day.
If you have a disability that isn’t immediately obvious to our staff, such as; autism, dementia, a hearing impairment, anxiety (or one of the many invisible disabilities) you may want to wear a hidden disability lanyard during your time with us.
The lanyard is also called the “Sunflower Lanyard” because of its appearance – a strip of green with a pattern of yellow sunflowers.
By wearing the lanyard, our staff will recognise you have an invisible disability and may need a little extra help or time.
Sunflower Lanyard
Te Whatu Ora - Waitematā is now proudly participating in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard scheme. If you, or someone you are with, has an invisible disability you can choose to wear a Sunflower Lanyard and make your disability visible to our staff. The Sunflower Programme offers people a discrete way to indicate to staff that they have a hidden disability and may need a little extra support, guidance, or time with the healthcare process. For more information on the Sunflower Lanyard, watch this video - What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower? - YouTube.
What to expect when you are wearing a lanyard
Te Whatu Ora - Waitematā staff recognise the Sunflower Lanyard and can provide you with help you may need at the different stages of your time with us. If you are feeling overwhelmed, staff can slow down a process for you and offer extra assurance.
What the lanyard does not do
The Sunflower lanyard ensures that our staff are aware of an invisible disability and can support you if extra assistance is needed while you are in our care, but it will not provide a fast track through queues or provide you with a staff escort through the hospital.
How to request a Sunflower Lanyard
If you think that the Sunflower Lanyard would be good for you, or a friend or family member who is coming to our hospitals, contact us at hiddendisability@waitematadhb.govt.nz. We will arrange for a Sunflower Lanyard to be ready for you to collect at the Main Entrance to the hospital before your appointment.
Once you receive a Sunflower Lanyard it is yours to keep and use for future journeys or outings where the scheme is recognised.
