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 should also read the additional more detailed visiting guidelines for each specific hospital.

More COVID-19 information

Canterbury DHB prepared for second strike planned for next week by members of the RDA

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  3. Canterbury DHB prepared for second strike planned for next week by members of the RDA

Friday 13 January 2017Media 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.

Members of the New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) will go on strike from 7am on Tuesday 17 until 8am on Friday 20 January 2017.

Like all 18 of the District Health Boards affected, Canterbury DHB is well advanced in its contingency planning to ensure it continues to provide safe care during the 73-hour strike period from next Tuesday, when most Resident Medical Officers will withdraw their services.

Canterbury DHB employs about 533 Resident Medical Officers and understands approximately 75 percent are RDA members.

David Meates, chief executive, says continuing to provide safe care for patients during the strike remains the highest priority and focus for the Canterbury Health System.

“We are prioritising essential and acute services, which means that some outpatient appointments and elective surgeries are being rescheduled,” he says.

“Patients who have appointments or surgery booked during the strike period can expect to hear from Canterbury DHB, whether they are affected or not.

The Emergency Department (ED) at Christchurch Hospital will remain open during the strike.

“Canterbury people can help take some of the pressure off acute and emergency services during the strike period by phoning their General Practice team first for all non-urgent care. When you call your usual general practice number after hours your call will be answered by a nurse who can provide free health advice and if you need to be seen, they can tell you what to do and where to go for #carearoundtheclock.”

Patients who haven't heard from us, but want to check if their surgery or outpatient appointment is going ahead next week should call 0800 778 226 from Monday 16 January.  This line will be answered 8am – 5pm Monday – Thursday next week. After hours you can leave a message. You should state your name and NHI number (Your NHI number is on your appointment letter and contains three letters and four digits eg ABC 1234).

ENDS

Further information about the industrial action is available on the Central Technical Advisory Services website

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Page last updated: 1 November 2022

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