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

Cleaning up after a flood

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Monday 24 July 2017Media release2 minutes to read

Below are some tips from Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey to help as you embark on the clean-up, if your home or property was affected by the floods over the past few days.

  • Contact your insurance company and take photos.
  • Treat all water as contaminated – so wash your hands thoroughly after you've been in contact with floodwaters and mud/silt from inside your house.
  • Do not move back into a damp house, particularly if you have young children/babies.
  • If you had a power cut food in your freezer will stay safely frozen for up to 24 hours as long as the freezer door is kept closed. After 24 hours the food should be discarded.
  • Please limit the amount of waste water your household is generating ie – from flushing the toilet, using the washing machine – as waste-water systems are struggling to cope with the deluge. Even though the rain has stopped in most areas the run-off from hill areas is adding to the floodwaters.
  • If you're finding it hard to cope at the moment ask friends and family for help, call your usual general practice team – even if it's after-hours and they're closed – a nurse is available 24/7 and can provide free health advice.
  • Please check on your neighbours – particularly if they live alone, are elderly or vulnerable.
  • Check your local council's website to see if there is a ‘boil water' notice in place.

Ashburton

www.ashburtondc.govt.nz/our-council/news/articles/Pages/Heavy-rainfall-causing-surface-flooding-and-road-closures.aspx.

Selwyn

Many areas have a ‘boil water' notice in place, so please check for the latest info.

www.selwyn.govt.nz/home-assets/whats-hot/weater-update

Christchurch

www.ccc.govt.nz/news-and-events/newsline/show/1868

Waimakariri

www.waimakariri.govt.nz/your-council/media-and-news/2017/07/flooding-updates-saturday.

Kaikoura

www.kaikoura.govt.nz/.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 3 October 2018

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