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

Growing concern for the wellbeing of those with unsettled EQC and insurance claims

Thursday 19 February 2015Media release4 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.

New research shows signs some Cantabrians are now coping better with the psychological impact of the earthquakes and their related stressors, although there are still areas of major concern.

The research was commissioned to inform the All Right? wellbeing campaign, a Healthy Christchurch project led by the Mental Health Foundation and the Canterbury District Health Board. It was undertaken by Opinions Market Research in November 2014 and included interviews and surveys with nearly a thousand people in Christchurch, the Waimakariri and Selwyn.

All Right? Manager Sue Turner says there are some positive results.

“There's been a drop in the number of Cantabrians who are worrying about another big earthquake, fewer say they're struggling to cope with all that's happened as a result of the earthquakes and more feel connected to greater Christchurch. Those are good signs of psychosocial recovery.”

Among the positive results:
Fewer respondents reported worrying about another big earthquake happening than in 2012 (45% in November 2014, 54% in November 2012).

Fewer respondents were struggling to deal with things that have happened as a result of the earthquakes than in 2012 (27% in November 2014, 46% in November 2012).

Fewer respondents ‘agreed' that they were tired of waiting for authorities or companies to fix their home than in 2012 (29% in November 2014, 42% in November 2012).

More respondents felt connected to greater Christchurch than in 2012 (54% in November 2014, 46% in November 2012).

More respondents reported giving time to helping others regularly (43% in November 2014, 36% November 2012).

However, Sue Turner says the region's psychosocial recovery is still facing some big challenges. “There is evidence the much talked about housing crisis is worsening with the research finding a growing number of people are finding it difficult to find somewhere appropriate to live. That's now sitting at 15% compared with 11% in November 2012.”

69% of those All Right? surveyed in 2012 had an insurance claim that was unsettled – that number has now dropped to 29%.

Public Health Specialist for the Canterbury District Health Board and All Right? Steering Group member Dr Lucy D'Aeth says clearly progress has been made but a major area of concern is for the mental health and wellbeing of those with unsettled insurance and EQC claims.

She says 29% of the research's respondents fell into this category and revealed that life is tougher for them than it is for those with settled claims.

“There are expected findings…such as those with unsettled claims being more likely to report that their current living situation is getting them down and that life is worse than before the quakes. But there are also some sad and perhaps-­‐unexpected findings like the fact they report more health issues, argue with their partner more and experience more financial problems.”

Those with unsettled EQC or insurance claims were more likely to:​
Be struggling to deal with things that have happened as a result of the earthquakes (47% not settled, compared to 18% settled).

Report their current living situation was getting them down (44% not settled, compared to 9% settled).

Be tired of waiting for authorities or companies to fix their home (69% not settled, compared to 14% settled).

Report that life was much worse than before the earthquakes (63% not settled, compared to 27% settled).

Report more health issues (46% not settled, compared to 32% settled).

Report that they argued with their partner more than before the earthquakes (19% not settled, compared to 9% settled).

Experience more financial problems (39% not settled, compared to 18% settled).

Be grieving more for what we have lost of Christchurch (74% not settled, compared to 51% settled).

Dr D'Aeth says the research shows just how hard it is to have an unsettled claim.

“Clearly the challenges go beyond living in a broken house. Unsettled claims are impacting on people's physical and mental health, relationships and finances.”

Dr D'Aeth says All Right? shares its research with EQC, the Insurance Council and other authorities.

“It is wonderful to see that many Cantabrians are faring better and their psychosocial recovery is well underway. What we need now is for those people to continue to support others who're still languishing.”

“As individuals we can't fix their problems but there are lots of little things we can do to help give them a boost…things like going out for coffee, catching up for a walk, picking some flowers from our garden or a phone call to check they're all right.”

“It's all about ensuring we don't permanently become a tale of two cities and that all our people recover from the devastating effects the earthquake has had too.”​​​

​Documents
A summary of All Right research findings (PDF, 120kb)

For more information
Jo Scott
Communications Adviser, All Right?
jo.scott2@cdhb.health.nz ​or 021 883 123

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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