People are being asked to keep the Tauranga and Whakatane Hospital Emergency Departments for emergencies as the impact of yesterday's Waikato DHB cyber attack is monitored.

Clinical services across all Waikato public hospitals have been seriously affected by a cyber security incident with all phones and computers down.

Resident Doctors Association and Association of Professional and Executive Employees Dr Deborah Powell says it was her understanding the cyber attack was a type of ransomware called "Conti".

She says it appeared to be the same type of attack that targeted Ireland's Department of Health last week.

Clinical services at Waikato, Thames, Tokoroa, Te Kuiti and Taumaranui hospitals are all affected to varying degrees.

The DHB says all patients in hospital were being well cared for, but some outpatient clinics have been cancelled.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board acting chief operating officer Bronwyn Anstis says measures are being put in place to address the impact of the incident, from a Bay of Plenty perspective.

'There is a need for us to take some patients to be cared for at Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals that would otherwise be cared for at Waikato Hospital,” says Bronwyn.

'Patient care is our top priority and we are doing all we can to assist our colleagues at Waikato DHB at this time.

'To help us with this we would like to ask people to please only present at our Emergency Departments if it is an emergency.

'We would also like to ask that the community be patient with us during this time if any delays are experienced as a result of this ongoing work.”

There are some things which people can do to help at this time:

-Consider going to your GP or local Urgent Care Centres first before coming to the Emergency Department.

-Unless it is a real emergency, please check first with your GP or phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 before coming to the emergency department at the hospital. They will give you advice and an assessment, which means you may avoid a long wait at the hospital.

-Examples of non-urgent conditions include minor injuries without a significant wound, throat infections, abdominal pain, headaches, vomiting or diarrhoea

-Make a plan to pick up your loved ones at the agreed time when they are discharged to free up hospital capacity.

-Hospital appointments are still going ahead under Alert Level 1 so if you have an appointment booked, please still come.

Alternative urgent care centres in Tauranga:

-Accident & HealthCare

19 Second Avenue, Tauranga 3110

Walk-in service (no appointment) in Tauranga:

-Tara Road Medical Centre, Papamoa

Papamoa Beach, Te Puke 3187

-The Doctors Bayfair

42 Girven Road, Mount Maunganui 3116