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 can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Get your flu shot early and stay well this winter

Monday 1 May 2017Media release3 minutes to read

The colder, damper weather signals it's time again to get your flu vaccine and give yourself your best shot of staying well this winter.

Each year the Canterbury Health System encourages people to get their flu shot early, before this serious illness starts to get a grip on our communities.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink says it's important everyone gets immunised as soon as possible to stay healthy and well.

“Getting your flu shot is still your best protection against influenza, and by being immunised, you increase your chances of getting the flu and can't pass it on to others. Getting your flu shot helps protect you, your whānau and your community too.”

Dr Pink says influenza is not just a bad cold, it is a serious illness that will confine you to bed for a miserable week or more, incapable of doing very much at all. 

“All too often though, influenza can lead to hospitalisation, especially for those who are vulnerable – people with a chronic illness or an elderly person. Each year hundreds of New Zealanders die from flu-related illness.”

Dr Pink says the flu shot is available now and it's best to get it early because it takes about fortnight for the immune system to prepare its best defence after getting vaccinated.

“You shouldn't wait until influenza is making others sick. It also makes sense to go for your flu shot when most general practices are less busy with patients presenting with winter illnesses,” Dr Pink says.

The flu vaccine is free from your General Practice team for anyone aged 65 years or over, people with a chronic illness, such as asthma or a heart condition, and pregnant women. The Canterbury Health System has also extended free flu shots to under 18s enrolled in General Practices in the Hurunui and Kaikoura districts to help support those North Canterbury communities affected by the earthquakes to stay well.     

“The vaccine is also available to everyone else at a cost similar to a GP visit.  Most people who have had influenza before will tell you that even if you have to pay for your vaccine, it's a small price to avoid becoming severely unwell.”

Anyone new to Canterbury needs to enrol at a General Practice to be eligible for subsidised health care in New Zealand.

“If you are feeling unwell, you should seek advice early from your General Practice team, but you need to be enrolled to make the most of the services on offer, at a lower cost,” Dr Pink says.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 27 September 2018

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