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 staff member appointed to Inquiry team

Wednesday 24 January 2018Media release3 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 is congratulating one of its Specialist Mental Health Service (SMHS) staff on his appointment to the Mental Health Inquiry Review team.

Dean Rangihuna, a Māori Consumer Advisor (Te Kaihapai) of Ngati Porou and Ngāti Hei descent, is a passionate advocate for consumer involvement in improving mental health services and has held key Māori mental health positions both nationally and within Canterbury DHB.

As a former consumer of mental health services, his experiences have inspired his dedication to promoting quality services and better health outcomes for Māori mental health and addiction, and ensuring a voice for Māori health inequities.

Mr Rangihuna says, “I have gained a real insight into working alongside whanau/families and to better understand their perspectives”

“My mantra is ‘People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel’ and this reflects how I see myself.”

Past areas of focus include reducing seclusion in mental health at a national level and Te Rau Matatini workforce programmes.

He has been in his Canterbury DHB role since 2005 and has been identified as a leader in identifying solutions required to make a change to systems and service delivery.

Mr Rangihuna worked for a Māori mental health community service for three years, prior to being employed as a Maori Consumer Advisor and has built great community relationships .

He says Te Korowai Atawhai has been his turangawaewae/standing place and strongly contributed to where he is now.

Te Korowai Atawhai is a cultural service within Canterbury DHB with approximately 17 Pukenga Atawhai (Maori mental health workers), who are an integral part of clinical teams throughout the Specialist Mental Health Services. They work adjacent to other specialist services, inclusive of inpatient services, in providing a cultural response to the needs of tangata whaiora, whānau and clinicians.

Mr Rangihuna has also advised various SMHS committees as Te Kaihapai/The Māori consumer for 14 years.

General Manager Mental Health Services at Canterbury DHB Toni Gutschlag says: “We are thrilled that Dean has been selected to provide a consumer perspective on the Inquiry panel. He’s grown in confidence through his various roles as a consumer advocate and become even more passionate about being a strong voice for those with a lived experience of mental illness. Dean has the full backing of his colleagues and we are justifiably proud of his selection for this important piece of work that will shape the journey to mental wellness for future consumers/tangata whaiora.”

ENDS

Tags

Related topics

Back to Health News

Page last updated: 19 October 2022

Is this page useful?