VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are recommended to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital.

Last updated:
13 March 2023

Some visitor restrictions for all Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and so we recommend all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and  visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people must not visit our facilities if they are unwell. Do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are recommended to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • For Specialist Mental Health Services everyone is strongly encouraged to wear a face mask in all inpatient areas and areas where consumers are receiving care (i.e. community appointments, home-visits, transporting people). Discretion may be applied in cases where masks impair your ability to communicate effectively.
  • Visitors must not eat or drink in multibed rooms because of the increased risk when multiple people remove their face mask in the same space.
  • Hand sanitiser is available and must be used.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear an N95 mask – this will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Other methods of communication will be facilitated e.g. phone, Facetime, Zoom, WhatsApp etc where visits aren’t possible.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours with the exception of Christchurch Women’s Hospital.

All visitors are recommended to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers are able to be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where just one parent/caregiver is able to attend their appointment with their child. Exceptions by special arrangement only.

Patients and visitors should also read the additional more detailed visiting guidelines for each specific hospital.

More COVID-19 information

Kurawaka: Waipapa Community Birthing Unit

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Kurawaka: Waipapa is now open

Kurawaka: Waipapa our new inner-city community birthing unit welcomes māmā, their pēpi and whānau from Tuesday 16 April 2024.

Updated: Visitor restrictions until further notice

For more details about what to do when visiting, please see our COVID-19 page.

Kurawaka: Waipapa is a new central city primary birthing unit for low-risk births in Waitaha. There are 2000 births per year anticipated for the unit. The unit is expected to reduce pressure on the nearby Christchurch Women’s Hospital Maternity Unit.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri gifted the special name – Kurawaka: Waipapa. The gifted name was chosen by Reriti Tau and given by Te Maire Tau, Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri hapū Ūpoko. Kurawaka has great significance in Te Ao Māori, the Māori world, as the birthplace of Hine.

The interior design of Kurawaka is inspired by natural birthing practices, cultural awareness, whānau/family experience, and inclusiveness. The themes also include New Zealand flora and fauna, regional landmarks, and sustainability.

The service is underpinned by the Canterbury Maternity Strategy and the Pae Ora legislation which is committed to supporting māmā/people and their whānau to create an environment that will enable their pēpi to have the best start to life, by providing community pregnancy support and birthing options that meet the needs of māmā / people / whānau and pēpi to receive care in the right place and at the right time.

After extensive engagement with Tangata Whenua and others within our community, the facility is informed by and will deliver services based on a Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view) framework.

Phone

Visiting hours

Labour and birth: Number of support people at labouring persons discretion.

Postnatal: Support person 24/7. Can change over at any time at māmā discretion.

Recommended hours for others to visit: Between 3pm and 7pm to enable time for breastfeeding, bonding with pepe and adequate rest for all māmā

Location

Address
Kurawaka: Waipapa Community Birthing Unit
238 Antigua Street
Christchurch

 

In an emergency

In a medical emergency, call 111 and ask for an ‘ambulance’.

For advice about evening time and non-emergency medical care in Canterbury see after-hours and urgent care advice.

Enquiries and feedback

We welcome your feedback about our services and your experiences at Kurawaka: Waipapa Community Birthing Unit.

Note: We cannot give medical advice by email. Please contact your doctor or the person in charge of your medical care.

Kurawaka: Waipapa facilities at a glance

Accessible

Mobility car parking

Food & drink vending machines

Language Interpreters

Patient and visitor parking

Smokefree

Disabled & Visitor toilets

Wi-Fi (Free to use)

Page last updated: 17 April 2024

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