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

Enjoy Cup Day at Riccarton Park, and drink responsibly

Thursday 15 November 2018Media 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.

A collaborative multi-agency approach aims to ensure Cup Day 2018 at Riccarton Park is a safe and enjoyable experience for all racegoers.

Race-day organisers, Police and Canterbury District Health Board are keen to reduce the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. Initiatives include a crack-down on pre-loading – where patrons have been drinking to excess prior to their arrival at the racecourse.

Riccarton Park Operations Manager Eric Cormack says “we are determined that this will be a great day out at the races and enjoyable for all participants.  We want to strongly discourage people from turning up at the grounds intoxicated, with the message that our security team will be refusing entry to anyone who has overindulged before they arrive.

He warns “if you are judged to be intoxicated you may be asked to take a breathalyser test if you want to enter the grounds. If the reading exceeds 400 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per litre of breath, you will be refused entry.”

“We are not here to spoil your fun, but we take our responsibility as licensees seriously and are very conscious that intoxicated people can ruin more than just their own day out,” says Eric Cormack.

Last year on Cup Day, around 250 disappointed people were turned away from the gates for being intoxicated.

“Once inside the course the same rules apply –  if you are deemed to be intoxicated you will be asked to leave.”

Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton says that Community and Public Health strongly supports the measures Riccarton Park is taking to reduce the harm caused by excess alcohol and to help ensure people stay safe. 

“Be mindful about how much you drink before and during the event, or your race day might end early when you are denied entry, or asked to leave because you’ve had too much. It’s better to have good memories and no regrets.” 

Bringing alcohol into the racecourse is not allowed, and a temporary alcohol ban will be in place from 7am to 12 midnight in the area around Riccarton Park Racecourse on Saturday 17 November. The ban will apply to the area bounded by both sides of Yaldhurst Road to Middlepark Road; Epsom Road to Racecourse Road; Buchanans Road to Masham Road to Yaldhurst Road.

Entry to the racecourse is restricted to those aged 18 and over.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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