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.

Kia whakahaumaru te whānau, me ngā iwi katoa – this is 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 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

Fines issued for seven Christchurch vaping product retailers

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Monday 31 October 2022Media 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.

Fines issued for seven Christchurch vaping product retailers

Seven Canterbury vape retailers have been fined after failing controlled purchase operations (CPO) in August and October. This is despite public health staff visiting the retailers prior to the CPO to ensure they were aware of their legal obligations.

Dr Cheryl Brunton, Waitaha Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, Te Whatu Ora National Public Health Service said the CPO is an important tool public health staff use to ensure retailers are compliant with the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990, particularly in relation to under age sales.

“Unfortunately during recent CPOs seven out of 39 retailers failed to ask for identification and sold vape products to a 16 year old,” says Dr Brunton.

“Selling vape products to a minor is both illegal and unacceptable. These operations are carried out regularly for both tobacco and vape sales to protect our young people from the harmful impacts of vaping and smoking.”

The retailers who failed the CPO were: Discount Vapor (Woolston), Keyes Road Dairy, Better Life Dairy, Shosha (Riccarton), Shosha (High Street), Huff and Puff, and JDs Dairy. 

All seven premises have been issued with an infringement notice by the Ministry of Health. If any of the retailers breach the rules three times they could face prosecution.

Dr Brunton said the Smokefree Enforcement Officer in Canterbury has been working hard to educate retailers about their obligations.

“Prior to the CPO we received a number of complaints, so our public health staff visited all the retailers to ensure they were aware of their obligations under the Act.

“While it is frustrating that seven retailers failed CPOs in August and October, we will continue to work with the sector to prevent minors from being able to purchase vaping products.

“We take our compliance investigation role very seriously and we will continue to undertake general compliance testing of a range of retailers, particularly around age eligibility.”  

For more information on compliance with the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 or to discuss concerns about retailers selling tobacco or vape products to minors (under 18’s), please contact Te Mana Ora Community and Public Health on 03 364 1777.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 14 February 2023

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