VISITING HOSPITAL

Hospital visitors must wear a medical paper face mask. Fabric face coverings are not acceptable. Expand this message for more detailed information about hospital visiting guidelines.

Last updated:
16 September 2022

 

Mask exemptions accepted for people seeking treatment
Any member of the public with a mask exemption is welcome in all our facilities when attending to receive health care and *treatment. Please show your mask exemption card and appointment letter to staff at the entrance.

*Treatment includes: coming into the Emergency Department, outpatient appointments,  surgery or a procedure.

For visitors to all facilities effective from Friday 16 September 2022

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 people must continue to wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and other 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 must 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 surgical 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 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 are able to 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, WhatApp 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 must wear a medical mask.

Parents/caregivers are able to be with their child in hospital and visitors other than a parent or caregiver 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

Planned junior doctor’s strike will affect some surgery and outpatients clinics planned for next Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th of January

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Tuesday 8 January 2019Media release3 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.
Junior Doctor's strike will affect some surgery and outpatients clinics next week

Junior Doctor's strike will affect some surgery and outpatients clinics next week

Members of the New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association [RDA] are planning to strike for 48 hours from 7am on Tuesday 15th January until 7am on Thursday 17 January 2019

Like all District Health Boards affected by this strike, Canterbury DHB is well advanced in its contingency planning to ensure it continues to provide safe care during the strike period when we expect most Resident Medical Officers/junior doctors will withdraw their services.

Canterbury DHB employs around 550 Resident Medical Officers [RMOs] and understands about 70 percent are RDA members. 

A number of the others belong to a new RMO union. 

Canterbury DHB employs RMOs at most of its facilities.

Michael Frampton, Canterbury DHB’s Chief People Officer, says continuing to provide safe care for patients during the strike remains the highest priority and focus for the Canterbury Health System.

“We are prioritising essential and acute services, which means that some outpatient appointments and planned surgeries are being rescheduled,” he says.  “We will be re-booking those affected to the next available appointment,” Michael Frampton said.

“Patients who have appointments or surgery booked during the strike period can expect to hear from Canterbury DHB. If people don’t hear from us, they should turn up as per their appointment letter.

“I apologise in advance to those whose surgery or outpatient appointment has to be postponed.”

The Emergency Department (ED) at Christchurch Hospital will remain open during the strike as will Christchurch Women’s Hospital.

“Canterbury people can help take some of the pressure off emergency services during the strike period by phoning their General Practice team first for all non-urgent care. When you call your usual general practice number after-hours your call will be answered by a nurse who can provide free health advice. If you need to be seen, they can tell you what to do and where to go for #carearoundtheclock.”

“Staff are starting to phone those affected by this industrial action. Some complex surgery that was planned for the days leading up to the strike will also need to be postponed, as well as some surgery and outpatient clinics on the 15th and 16th of January.  Our contingency plans involve reducing the numbers of people in our hospitals. Some people may be discharged with in-home care and support where it’s safe and appropriate to do so.

“We are setting up an 0800 number for people who may want to check if their surgery or outpatient clinic appointment is affected.  However, our intention is to contact everyone affected by phone.  Details of the 0800 number will be publicised later this week,” Michael Frampton said.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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