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

The Princess Margaret Hospital here to stay for a little while yet

Wednesday 15 June 2016Media 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.

Moving some patients from The Princess Margaret Hospital to Burwood Hospital is underway without a hitch but it's left some confusion around the future of the old Cashmere site, a landmark of the southern suburbs since 1959.

David Meates, Canterbury District Health Board chief executive, says the patient moves started on Monday and have gone like “clockwork”.

“I'm incredibly proud of the way the clinical teams and everyone has worked together and also for the support of the New Zealand Defence Force who have helped shift frail elderly patients across town.

“It's been nothing short of remarkable. However, I've fielded a lot of questions about what's happening with the old Princess Margaret site and I want to be clear that there will be a number of services here for the next couple of years.”

Mr Meates says several specialist mental health services will remain at The Princess Margaret Hospital including the mothers and babies unit, child and youth mental health inpatient services and eating disorder services.

“Our Older Persons Health Community teams will also be based at The Princess Margaret Hospital.

A range of support services, such orderlies, security, maintenance, transport and equipment stores will also stay on site, and there will be someone at reception to help with enquiries during office hours. The café will operate a reduced service Monday to Friday from 7:30am-3:00pm.”

Mr Meates says the New Zealand Fire Service's Addington Fire Station is also moving in to the old Riley Day Unit, where they plan to have a number of staff and a fire appliance stationed here during the day Monday to Saturday while their new facility is constructed.

The long-term plans for The Princess Margaret Hospital are yet to be decided, Mr Meates says.

“If the Board decides there is no future strategic purpose for the DHB to retain the entire site there is a set process for the disposal of land that would have to be followed and this involves both Public Works Act clearance and then giving Ngai Tahu the right of first refusal, this means they would have first option to buy the land at market rates. The DHB may choose to maintain some or all of land for possible future development.

“Whatever is decided, the local community and the wider city will be kept informed,” Mr Meates says.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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