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

Serving up a festive treat for Canterbury patients

Friday 23 December 2022Facilities News2 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.

 

Te Whatu Ora’s Canterbury WellFood team who are busy prepping for the more than 1000 Christmas meals.

WellFood staff getting ready for Christmas at Burwood Hospital.

If you thought planning and cooking a Christmas meal for the whānau was a big undertaking, spare a thought for Te Whatu Ora’s Canterbury WellFood team who are busy prepping for the more than 1000 Christmas meals they’ll be plating up for patients who find themselves in one of Canterbury’s hospitals on Christmas Day.

WellFood staff are also busy preparing ‘meals on wheels’ that will be served throughout the community on Christmas Day.

The Christmas menu across our hospitals is going to be a cracker.

For lunch, patients can choose from succulent chicken, roast beef or vegetarian lasagne, accompanied by roast vegetables with a dessert option of our classic pavlova or delicious Christmas pudding.

For dinner a picnic tea, including yummy Christmas ham, will be served and accompanied by mini Christmas mince pies, rum balls and fruit.

Christmas cake and mini mince pies will be served for morning and afternoon tea.

“The festive season is a special time for many and it can be hard for patients and their families being in hospital and away from home on Christmas,” says Rachel Cadle, General Manager, Commercial Services.

“That’s why our teams across Canterbury work hard every year to create a very special menu for patients that will taste and feel just a little bit like home.”

Rachel Cadle says there will be around 120 staff working in the kitchens, as well as the catering assistants who take orders and serve the food on the hospital wards.

“The service we provide continues 365 days per year, without any let up in demand.”

“We haven’t forgotten the teams who will be working on Christmas Day either. Many of our hospital staff will be at work while their families are celebrating Christmas, so we have some special treats planned for them as well,” says Rachel Cadle.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 26 February 2024

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