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.

Kia whakahaumaru te whānau, me ngā iwi katoa – this is 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 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

Moorhouse Medical Centre

Moorhouse Medical urgent care service hours

Urgent care services are normally available from:

  • 8am to 8pm, Monday and Tuesday
  • 8am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday

Due to staff shortages our urgent care service will close at 4pm on Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th September. From Wednesday 27th September we will resume our 8am-8pm hours.

The Moorhouse Medical GP service remains open until 5pm. Specimens remaining for collection by SCL at the time the clinic is closed, will be placed in the collection box at Unichem Moorhouse Pharmacy.

If you have an accident, injury, or illness that needs urgent medical care, you can just walk into Moorhouse Medical Centre at any time. No appointment is necessary.

Moorhouse Medical Centre urgent care service is open 8am to 4pm, 7 days, including public holidays.

If you think you have broken a bone, the clinic also has a specialised fracture service instead of going to hospital.

Please note: Kids under 14 have free medical visits after hours (after 6pm weekdays and during weekends) and Community Services Card holders pay less.

It's less than 5km to Christchurch Hospital if your condition changes and the Unichem Moorhouse Pharmacy (open 8am - 8pm, every day) is next to the Moorhouse Medical Centre.


Page last updated: 22 September 2023

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