HOSPITAL VISITING

Hospital visiting guidelines updated 16 September 2022: Hospital visitors must wear a surgical/medical paper mask. Fabric face coverings are not acceptable. See our COVID-19 pages for detailed information about hospital visiting guidelines, COVID-19 tests and care in the community advice. See www.vaccinatecanterburywestcoast.nz for information about vaccinations.

Last updated:
16 September 2022

Mask exemptions accepted for people seeking treatment
Any member of the public with a mask exemption is welcome in all our facilities when attending to receive health care and *treatment. Please show your mask exemption card and appointment letter to staff at the entrance.

*Treatment includes: coming into the Emergency Department, outpatient appointments, surgery or a procedure.

For visitors to all facilities effective from Friday 16 September 2022

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 people must continue to wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and other 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 must 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 surgical 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 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 are able to 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, WhatApp 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 must wear a medical mask.

Parents/caregivers are able to be with their child in hospital and visitors other than a parent or caregiver 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

Dental and community-based health services

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Dental and community-based health services

The Dental Department can provide some emergency dental treatment if you are eligible and receive a Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) benefit.

The Community Dental Service can provide some dental care, or help you access free dental care for children.

10 health services.

Canterbury & West Coast Musculoskeletal Service

Canterbury and West Coast Musculoskeletal Service is a publicly funded service for patients with non-urgent musculoskeletal conditions that do not require surgery.

More information

Christchurch Sexual Health Service

Christchurch Sexual Health Service a specialist sexual health service offering free and confidential sexual health care including diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STI's) and other related conditions including genital skin conditions and genital pain.

More 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.

More information

Community Dental Service

We provide free dental care for eligible children living in Canterbury and South Canterbury. We also help teens find a free family dentist.

More information

Community Health Information Centres (CHIC)

The Community Health Information Centre (CHIC) provides free health resources within Canterbury, South Canterbury and the West Coast.

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Dental Department

The hospital-based Dental Department provides specialist dental care to people from within the Canterbury region.

More information

Menemene Mai (Smile)

Welcome to Menemene Mai (Smile) the Early childhood oral health toolkit for kaiako in Waitaha Canterbury.

More information

Nurse Maude (Hospice Palliative Care)

Specialist palliative care services in the community are provided by the Nurse Maude Hospice Palliative Care Team.

More information

Palliative Care

Palliative care is a holistic approach to the care of people with progressive incurable disease, that aims to prevent and relieve suffering.

More information

Public Health Nursing Service (PHNS)

Our service offers support to children, young people and their families across all schools in Canterbury with nurses based at some rural facilities.

More information

Showing 1-10 of 10 results, page 1 of 1.

Page last updated: 21 June 2022

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