ORANGE

Hospital visiting guidelines updated 20 July 2022: Hospital visitors must wear a surgical/medical paper mask. Fabric face coverings are no longer acceptable. See our COVID-19 pages for detailed information about hospital visiting guidelines, COVID-19 tests and care in the community advice. See www.vaccinatecanterburywestcoast.nz for information about vaccinations.

We are at ORANGE according to the NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework

Last updated:
20 July 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 Wednesday 20 July 2022

With the recent resurgence in cases in Canterbury, largely due to the Omicron BA.5 subvariant we are seeing an increase in demand right across the health system. Presentations to our Christchurch ED and Ashburton’s AAU are higher than ever and admission rates are high, which means we have a shortage of resourced beds.

Recently, we have seen too many unwell people coming to visit someone in hospital and too many that cannot or will not wear a medical mask. This increases the risk to vulnerable people in hospital. For these reasons we need to everything we can to minimise these risks.

We have therefore tightened visitor restrictions for all Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities.

Kia whakahaumaru te whānau, me ngā iwi katoa – this is to keep everybody safe:

  • One visitor per patient in the hospital at any given time, except where stated otherwise in the ‘exceptions’ section below.
  • No visitors under 16 to any part of our facilities.
  • No visitors to COVID +ve patients other than in exceptional circumstances.
  • No eating or drinking at the bedside or anywhere other than cafes or areas designated for eating/drinking, as taking your mask off puts patients at risk.
  • Visitors or support people must not visit our facilities if they are unwell with cold or flu-like symptoms (even if they have tested negative) or have had a recent tummy bug.
  • Do not visit if you are COVID +ve or a household contact of someone who has tested positive
  • Surgical/medical masks must be worn at all times at all sites and will be provided if people don’t have them. Mask exemptions do not apply in our facilities – people who cannot tolerate a mask cannot visit at this time.
  • Hand sanitiser stations are visible and must be used.

By sticking to the rules above, you help keep our patients, staff, other visitors and yourself safe. We 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.

Exceptions to the ‘one visitor’ policy

  • Exceptions can apply in some circumstances where trusted whānau members provide assistance, reassurance and other support for therapeutic care or on compassionate grounds – please talk to the ward’s Charge Nurse to discuss this before you come to hospital to visit. For whānau with an essential support role as a Partner in Care – again, please check with the ward’s Charge Nurse before you come to hospital to visit.
  • People attending Christchurch ED or Ashburton AAU can have one support person with them.
  • Women in labour and in the birthing suite can have two named support people + their community LMC/midwife if they have one – for the duration of the birth only. All other women on the Maternity Ward are allowed one support person for the duration of their stay in our facilities at Christchurch Women’s Hospital and other maternity units. Only one support person can be with each woman in the maternity ward, and one support person for maternity clinic appointments. No under 16s are allowed to visit or attend appointments.
  • Parents/caregivers can be with their baby in NICU.
  • Parents/caregivers are able to be with their child in hospital (Except Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day patients where only one parent or caregiver is permitted).
  • People requiring support when attending an appointment can have one support person. Please let the relevant service know if you need this so they are able to accommodate your request.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • To avoid them becoming infected with COVID-19 and passing it one, visitors to COVID-19 positive patients will not be allowed except in extenuating circumstances – by prior agreement with the Charge Nurse Manager only, and wearing an N95 mask.
  • Other methods of communication will be facilitated e.g. phone, facetime, zoom etc.

You must NOT visit the hospital if you

  • are a household contact of a COVID-19 positive case
  • are COVID-19 positive
  • Have a cold or flu/COVID-19-like symptoms (even if you are testing negative for COVID-19)

Exceptions for people with disabilities

An exception will be made for people with disabilities who are in hospital or have to attend an outpatient appointment – where they need a support person to access health services. For example, a sign language interpreter, support person for someone with a learning disability, or someone to assist with mobility. The support person is in addition to the one permitted visitor.

Everyone visiting our facilities must wear a mask, no exceptions

While we appreciate that some people have legitimate reasons for being exempt from wearing a mask and may even have an official card to confirm this, people who cannot or will not wear a mask cannot visit someone in hospital or attend hospital, other than to access healthcare treatment*. This is another measure to minimise the risk to vulnerable patients.

*healthcare treatment includes: Emergency Department care, outpatient appointments, surgery or a procedure. 

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

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: 21 January 2019

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