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

 

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.

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

Urology

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The Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury Urology Service is based at Christchurch Hospital with an additional service at the Burwood Spinal Unit. The nine urologists that form the Urology Service offer urological expertise and treatment to adult and paediatric patients for the largest range of urological conditions of any service in New Zealand. As well as a busy uro-oncology and endo-urology service, we also offer neuro-urology at the Burwood Spinal Unit, paediatric urology, female and functional urology and reconstructive urology.

Urology focuses on the surgical and medical diseases of the male and female urinary tract system and the male reproductive organs. It incorporates both operative and non-operative treatments for urological problems of men, women and children. Urology includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate, urethra, testes and more. If you need help to urinate or to reproduce, urologists are likely involved.

Urology also deals with some of the most sensitive parts of health, including sexual function, fertility, urinary continence and gender identity. For this reason, urologists are well-versed in having complex, quality of life conversations and delivering compassionate care.

Urology is a unique blend of clinical medicine and surgery that appeals to many in the medical profession. Urologists are able to counsel patients on lifestyle modifications for their bladder issues or kidney stones, perform cystoscopies and biopsies in clinic, or have the opportunity to perform long and complex surgeries. Cases are varied both procedurally and in complexity and use the latest technology. There is a subspecialty to suit everyone’s preference, from removing cancer to improving continence and everything in between.

As a group of consultants, we make a point of doing things together and achieving standardisation. Our department has led New Zealand in many innovations in how we run a publicly-funded surgical service. The Urology Service is unique in that it is an ACU, an Autonomous Clinical Unit. This allows us to hold our own budget. As a result of this, you will find that there is a greater emphasis on cost saving and improved efficiency. Each dollar saved with greater efficiencies can be put back into the service, creating a better patient-focused service.

Within Urology here at Christchurch Hospital, we have four specialist uro-oncologists, who have subspecialty interests in robotic and minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of prostate cancer. We have two specialist paediatric urologists, who also treat paediatric patients across the South Island. The other subspecialties offered by the Urology Service include reconstruction, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, erectile dysfunction, spinal injury management and the treatment of kidney stones.

The Urology Team

Clinical Director

Mr Giovanni Losco

Urologists

Dr George Acland
Mr Kevin Bax
Mr Nick Buchan
Dr Sharon English
Dr Frank Kueppers
Dr Jane MacDonald
Mr Stephen Mark
Dr Louise Rouse

Charge Nurse Manager

Anne Murray

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Ruth Abram
Angelo Corpuz
Jess Kearns
Vicky Pawsey
Katie Wheatley

Service Manager

Becky Ellis

Contact Information

Urology Unit
Level 2, Christchurch Women's Ho​spital
Riccarton Avenue
Christchurch
Phone: (03) 364 4307

Urology Outpatients
Christchurch Hospital Outpatients building
2 Oxford Terrace
Christchurch

 

Page last updated: 9 May 2023

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