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

Don’t visit your loved ones in hospital if you’re sick

Thursday 28 July 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.

Don’t visit your loved ones in hospital if you’re sick with a cold or virus

If you’re sick please don’t come visiting at Christchurch Hospital – that’s the message from Mary Gordon, Canterbury DHB’s Executive Director of Nursing.

“My plea to the public, is if you’re sick with a cold or virus, please stay home,” Mary says.

“Many of our patients are frail older people, and many have more than one health condition, which is why it’s so important we provide a safe environment as possible.”

Mary says while family support of loved ones who are very unwell in hospital is always welcome, those visiting need to make sure they aren’t bringing any bugs with them to spread around.

“When people are very unwell and in shared rooms, having people visit who have a cold or virus puts everyone at risk,” she says.

“By keeping your bugs at home, helps us get your loved ones better sooner, so they can get home to you faster.”

Remember you can get carearoundtheclock by phoning your own general practice team.

“Unless it’s an emergency (when you should call 111), always make your general practice team your first call 24/7 when you or someone in your family is sick,” Mary says.

“Even after hours a nurse is available to give free health advice. Just phone your usual general practice number.”

ENDS

Tags

Related topics

Back to Health News

Page last updated: 19 October 2022

Is this page useful?