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

Gastro outbreak biggest risk for isolated Kaikoura residents now

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  3. Gastro outbreak biggest risk for isolated Kaikoura residents now

Wednesday 16 November 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.

Canterbury DHB's community and public health officials arrived in Kaikoura yesterday and are focusing on preventing the spread of disease.

Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Alistair Humphrey says the biggest health risk is the possible outbreak of a gastro bug.

“My personal view is that people aren't being vigilant enough about hand washing and ensuring drinking water is safe to drink,” Dr Humphrey says.

“While water supplies are gradually being fixed, it remains crucial people continue to boil their drinking water or treat it with bleach. The water is not safe to drink.

“Unless it's bottled water, don't assume it's safe to drink. Even water people are getting from the back of trucks needs to be boiled or treated.

“People should also not eat anything gathered from oceans and rivers due to possible contamination.”

Dr Humphrey says increasing numbers of people are presenting at Kaikoura hospital with anxiety related problems

“Three days in many people are exhausted and anxious, and it doesn't help that people can't have showers. It's important that people do what they can to look after themselves and connect with those around them. Nobody is in this alone.”

Canterbury DHB is working with other agencies to ensure there are sufficient supplies of hand sanitiser and bleach.

To treat water add 1 teaspoon of household (unscented) bleach per 10 litres of water and leave for 30 minutes (i.e. just under 1/4 tsp of bleach for a two litre container).

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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