Photo: ODT files
Te Whatu Ora Southern has warned patients the hospital is "very busy".
"This is due to large numbers of very unwell people coming into the emergency department, along with staff illness and vacancies.
"This problem is not isolated to the Southern region – many hospitals around the country are very busy, " a spokesperson said.
It acknowledged waiting at the emergency department was stressful and said all patients would be triaged by an experienced nurse on arrival, with its sickest patients seen first.
"We are working very hard to prioritise all care appropriately. Some planned care is being postponed and we apologise to patients facing a longer wait for care."
