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 .

Health Warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality in Waikirikiri (Selwyn River) at Glentunnel

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Saturday 1 January 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.
Health Warning – Potentially toxic algal bloom in Wainono Lagoon

Health Warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality in Waikirikiri (Selwyn River) at Glentunnel                               

Canterbury District Health Board’s Community and Public Health unit has issued a health warning after high levels of faecal bacteria were found in consecutive samples taken from in Waikirikiri (Selwyn River) at Glentunnel.

Dr Cheryl Brunton, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, says “Water quality at the affected site is not considered suitable for recreational uses including swimming because of the risk to health from the bacteria and other pathogens”.

“In most cases, the ill-health effects from exposure to contaminated water are minor and short-lived.  However, there is the potential for more serious health effects from exposure to faecal bacteria,” Dr Brunton says.

Eating shellfish from these sites should be avoided.  If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash in clean water before cooking. For further information on gathering Mahinga Kai, refer to the information below.

Water contaminated by human or animal faecal matter may contain a range of disease-causing micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa. 

The public is reminded that there is also a warning in place for potentially toxic algae (benthic cyanobacteria) at the Waikirikiri (Selwyn River) at Glentunnel.

The sites where water quality is affected are listed on and Land, Air Water Aotearoa website.

Monitoring of the site will continue weekly and the public will be advised when the site is safe for recreational use.

ENDS

For further details visit:

https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/

Or contact Community and Public Health on (03) 364 1777:

https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/recreational-water/

For more information about Mahinga Kai:

https://www.cph.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/saf0112.pdf

 

ENDS

 

 

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Page last updated: 16 June 2022

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