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 .

Public access to Canterbury DHB facilities under the ‘traffic light’ system at ORANGE

Friday 3 December 2021Media 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.

 

Public access to Canterbury DHB facilities under the ‘traffic light' system at ORANGE

Canterbury DHB has not made any changes to its visitor restrictions under the orange traffic light setting of the new national COVID-19 Protection Framework. However, the orange traffic light setting does change how business is conducted at cafés and other retail outlets in DHB facilities.

Dr Helen Skinner, Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID-19 response for Canterbury DHB says these are tough times for us all as we get used to new systems, but we are all in this together and the new COVID-19 Protection Framework (traffic light system) has been introduced to protect us all. Health staff are here to help, so please be kind and considerate, and respect one another and the rules.

“There will be some changes when you visit, mainly to retail outlets and cafés at our facilities. Burwood Travis Courtyard Café is the only Canterbury DHB café that will be checking My Vaccine Passes and can therefore retain public seating areas. All others will either have contactless takeaway food and coffee available and have seats removed, or are now closed to the public.                                          

“This is a good opportunity to remind people that healthcare is for all. You do not need proof of vaccination to enter any of our facilities as a visitor or service-user. Everybody, vaccinated or unvaccinated, will receive the care they need.

“Please don’t visit the hospital if you don’t need to. Fewer visitors means less chance that COVID-19 will spread to vulnerable patients and staff.”

Cafés and other retail outlets in our DHB facilities

Franchised or independently-owned businesses such as community pharmacies, florists, hairdressers, volunteers’ shops etc. will have a set of rules that apply under the traffic light system and will manage appropriate access by staff and members of the public.   

Here is a summary of the rules for access to cafés in DHB facilities from today:

Great Escape Café:  Open to staff only, ID badges required as proof of full vaccination           

Willow Lane, Waipapa: Contactless pick-ups only – no seating, no My Vaccine Pass checks          

Kanuka, Christchurch Outpatients: Contactless pick-ups only – no seating, no My Vaccine Pass checks, no eating or drinking in the waiting area seating

PeaBerry Waipapa: Contactless pick-ups only – no seating, no My Vaccine Pass checks, no eating or drinking in the waiting area seating

Parkside and Christchurch Women’s Hospital Cafés: Contactless pick-ups only – no seating, no My Vaccine Pass checks          

Hillmorton Avon Café: Open to staff only, no My Vaccine Pass checks

Ashburton Hospital Café: Open to staff only, no My Vaccine Pass checks

Burwood Travis Courtyard Café: Only staff wearing ID badges and members of the public who scan their My Vaccine Pass can be served.

Visiting DHB facilities

Visiting rules haven’t changed with the move to the orange setting under the new ‘traffic light’ system. Visitors who are unwell should not be entering our facilities, unless they need emergency care.

The following visitor restrictions are in place for all Canterbury DHB hospitals and health facilities, to protect vulnerable patients:

  • All visitors need to scan in using the COVID-19 Tracer App or sign in on arrival and provide their contact details
  • If you’re using the COVID-19 Tracer App, please ensure Bluetooth tracing is turned on
  • All visitors must wear a mask or fabric face covering – please bring your own
  • All visitors are expected to practice safe physical distancing. You should remain two metres away from people you don’t know
  • Everyone, including visitors should practise good hand hygiene.

Park and Ride

The hospital shuttle service from the Deans Ave car park is running as normal.

There is further guidance and restrictions in place at individual facilities. Full details of further changes to visiting at other Canterbury DHB facilities, including café, are available on our website .

If you have COVID-19 symptoms – no matter how mild, please get a test.

If you are unwell and need to see a doctor you should call your usual GP team for advice 24/7. For general health information visit: https://www.healthinfo.org.nz/

ENDS

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Page last updated: 12 December 2022

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