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 .

Support for Smokefree spaces extension

Friday 5 June 2015Media release2 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.

Canterbury District Health Board has congratulated the Christchurch City Council for its move to increase the number of Smokefree places in Christchurch from October 1, 2015.

Dr Ramon Pink, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, says making more outdoor areas Smokefree is an important step towards achieving the Smokefree 2025 goal.

“Increasing the number of Smokefree places helps reduce the visibility of smoking, and this in turn makes it less likely that young people will take up the habit,” Dr Pink says.

He says people have a right to Smokefree spaces.

“People entering and exiting council facilities such as libraries and swimming pools should not have to walk through clouds of smoke.

“And people waiting for a bus should not have to put up with other peoples smoke. Smokefree bus stops will not only protect those who do not smoke from second hand smoke, but will also reduce the visibility of smoking for children and youth.”

Dr Pink says measures to make more community spaces Smokefree are not about “banning” smoking or “demonising” smokers.

“These policies encourage responsible choices – they aren't a ban. They are voluntary policies that are all about encouraging responsible adult behaviour and not smoking around children and young people,” says Dr Pink.

Dr Pink says smoking is a big issue in Canterbury.

“The Canterbury DHB region has more regular smokers than any other DHB region. More than 52,000 Cantabrians, the equivalent of three sell-out crowds at AMI Stadium, are regular smokers.”

Martin Witt, Canterbury and West Coast Cancer Society Manager of Health Promotion and IT Services, has also congratulated the Council on its bold move.

​”Both sub committees voted unanimously for these extensions. This makes CCC one of the most progressive councils in NZ with a strong commitment to their role in helping to achieve the goal of a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025,” Martin says.

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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