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 can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Public Health Nursing Service (PHNS)

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The Public Health Nursing Service (PHNS) offers support to children, young people and their families across all schools in Canterbury with nurses based at some rural facilities.

Our philosophy of care is centred around The Rights of Every Child (PDF, 2MB)

Our service aspires to promote and protect the rights of children and young people. If you want more details about the rights of children and young people in healthcare please read the Charter on the Rights of Tamariki Children & Rangatahi Young People in Healthcare Services in Aotearoa (PDF, 3MB)

What We Do

The Public Health Nursing service is staffed by Registered Nurses and a support team of administration staff. The main PHN Service is based at Burwood Hospital Campus. There are  also Public Health Nurses based at rural hospitals – Ashburton, Lincoln, Rangiora and Kaikoura.

Public health nurses:

  • Regularly visit schools, supporting and advising on children's health needs, attending school or home
  • Work with families, providing support, advocacy, links with other services
  • Liaise with family doctors, specialists and other health providers
  • Anaphylaxis education and support to schools, Early Education Centres and families
  • Refer to other services such as Holiday Camps, STAND (Glenelg Health Camp)
  • Support the delivery of B4 School checks by offering appointments in the community
  • Provide BCG vaccinations for eligible children under 5 years
  • Provide the 0-5 years Well Child Tamariki Ora services in Kaikoura and Banks Peninsula
  • Provide the School Based Vaccination Programme for year 8 students

Contact Telephone Numbers

The ECEC PHN newsletter is updated biannually and contains useful information and updates for parents/caregivers of preschool aged children.

Page last updated: 9 May 2024

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