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

Burwood Birthing Unit to temporarily reopen

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Tuesday 5 April 2016Media release2 minutes to read

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

Canterbury DHB will temporarily reopen the Burwood Birthing Unit.

The announcement was made at a meeting this week with Lead Maternity Carers, key stakeholders and staff.

Canterbury DHB closed the unit after staff and women felt unsafe being there following the magnitude 5.7 earthquake on February 14.

David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive, says Canterbury DHB had originally intended to keep the Burwood unit open until it had built a new primary maternity unit in the Christchurch area.

“However, the February 14 quake forced our hand and it's no longer an option.

“A band aid solution is just not viable when you consider the Primary Birthing Strategy and what is needed in the long term for our community.

“The Burwood Birthing Unit is a 1940s building that contains significant asbestos through many parts of the building. This creates real issues doing even basic repairs, or any work on the building,” he says.

Mr Meates says the DHB is committed to providing the right primary maternity services for the community.

“We will continue to work closely with LMCs, our staff and the community to find an agreed way forward.”

The temporary reopening will only be until June 30, 2016 and will be flagged for demolition thereafter. ​

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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