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

Community and Public Health (CPH)

Community and Public Health (CPH) provides public health services to those people living in the Canterbury, South Canterbury and West Coast regions.

For more information go to the Community and Public Health website

Canterbury

Community and Public Health
160 Bealey Avenue
Christchurch
New Zealand

PO Box 1475
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand

Phone: +64 3 364 1777
Fax: +64 3 379 6125

Hours:
Mon to Fri 8am - 5pm

Mid Canterbury

Community and Public Health
Elizabeth Street (use Entrance D)
Ashburton
New Zealand

PO Box 110
Ashburton 7740
New Zealand

Phone: +64 3 307 6902
Fax: +64 3 307 6904

Hours:
Mon to Fri 9am - 5pm

South Canterbury

Community and Public Health
18 Woollcombe Street
Timaru
New Zealand

PO Box 510
Timaru 7940
New Zealand

Phone: +64 3 687 2600
Fax: +64 3 688 6091

Hours:
Mon to Fri 8.30am - 5pm

West Coast

Community and Public Health
3 Tarapuhi Street
Greymouth
New Zealand

PO Box 443
Greymouth 7840
New Zealand

Phone: +64 3 768 1160
Fax: +64 3 768 1169

Hours:
Mon to Fri 8.30am - 5pm

 

Page last updated: 30 January 2024

Is this page useful?