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

River of Flowers back again in 2015

Wednesday 18 February 2015Media 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.

​Cantabrians will once again have the opportunity to share their experiences and hopes for the future as part of the River of Flowers commemoration on the fourth anniversary of the February 22 earthquake. 

On Sunday, February 22 Cantabrians are invited to throw flowers into the water at 14 sites along the Avon and Heathcote rivers, and at the estuary. Sites will be open from 8am to 8pm, and hosted by community groups between 12.30-1.30pm. Two minutes silence will be held at 12:51pm.

Healthy Christchurch chairperson David Meates says the River of Flowers provides a great opportunity for people to connect with each other on what is a very poignant day.

“Four years on we know that people are in very different places. Some have settled and have moved on while others are still living with uncertainty and struggling with the enormity of the changes we've gone through,” David says.

“The River of Flowers is something that helps bring our city together. It's a day that people from all walks of life and all stages of our recovery can come together to remember the quakes, reflect on their impact, and share our hopes for the future.”

Evan Smith from the Avon-Otakaro Network (AvON) says the River of Flowers has struck a chord with Cantabrians.  

“The River of Flowers has established itself as a key way Cantabrians come together to reflect on the earthquakes and celebrate our strength,” Evan says.​

“It's a community-led initiative which builds on the strength of our local communities. Releasing flowers into our waterways also sends a strong message that we are all in this together; we're all part of something much bigger.”

The following sites have been confirmed:

Site Host
Avonside – Corner of Avonside Drive and Retreat Road, near the Gayhurst Road bridge. CanCERN
Beckenham Park riverbank Beckenham Neighbourhood Association
Botanic Gardens – footbridge between the Hospital and the Peace Bell
(Christchurch City Council Commemoration Service starts at noon, followed by the River of Flowers from 1 to 1.30pm)
Council of Social Services, Mental Health Foundation and Christchurch City Council
Burwood/Avondale – Avondale Road Bridge and SW riverbank on Avonside Drive Burwood and Avondale Communities
Estuary  – Yacht Club Car Park, Moncks Bay Christchurch Yacht Club
Heathcote River – Riverbank opposite The Princess Margaret Hospital Healthy Christchurch
Ilam – Riverbank in front of the UCSA Building Canterbury University
Medway Street Foot Bridge (SW bank on River Road) Avon Otakaro Network
New Brighton – Owles Terrace Reserve River of Life & SURF Community Trust
O-Tautahi :The Bricks – Barbadoes Street bridge & diagonal adjoining riverbanks Avon Loop Planning Association
Place of Tranquillity – Corner of Manchester Street and Cambridge Terrace Public Health Assoc NZ (Canterbury/ West Coast Branch)
Riccarton Bush – River Bank between Kahu Road and Riccarton House Avon-Otakaro Network

For more information on sites, including maps, visit www.healthychristchurch.org.nz

People are asked to bring their own flowers.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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