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

Temporary changes to access to Ashburton Hospital

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Friday 10 March 2017Media release2 minutes to read

Ashburton Hospital is making some temporary changes to access from Monday.

General Manager Ashburton Health Services Bernice Marra says people coming to the hospital need to be aware that the new ambulance bay and surrounding area will have no access for approximately six weeks from Monday (13 March 2017).

“The area will be completely fenced off to enable Bradfords to demolish the old ambulance bay and building developments in this area.”

“All patients will need to access the hospital from the Elizabeth Street main hospital entrance, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This includes patients presenting by ambulance.”

Ambulances will access the hospital via the front entrance by the main reception area.  They will take the patient through the main corridor to the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU), entering via the internal access.

Bernice says any walk-in patients will have access via the front of the hospital and will be directed to AAU just as they currently do during the day – arriving in AAU by the waiting area, presenting to the ‘reception area' in AAU.

“After-Hours (between 8.00pm and 6.00am) a security guard will escort any self-presentations through the hospital into the AAU to ensure that patients do not accidently enter other parts of the hospital.”

The current car parks marked ‘drop off” at the front of the hospital will be reserved for the ‘transport ambulance'.  This will be a minimum of two parking bays

“The wheelchair access park will remain and other will be marked and regularly checked to ensure these are kept free for the transfer ambulance.”

Bernice says she apologised for any disruption these temporary changes might cause and would like to thank the community for their ongoing support and cooperation while construction works continue.     

What you need to remember:

  • All patients – access via the Elizabeth Street main hospital entrance only
  • Drop off car parks now for ambulances only
  • Disabled parking as normal.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 3 October 2018

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