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

Tobacco sales to under 18s disappoint

Thursday 5 February 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.

The Canterbury District Health Board is disappointed three retailers sold cigarettes to underage volunteers last month.

Underage volunteers visited 37 retailers during one week in January, with 34 retailers correctly asking for identification and then refusing to sell cigarettes.

The areas covered included Riccarton, Avonhead, Ilam, Hei Hei, Yaldhurst, West Melton, Kirwee, Darfield, Amberley, Hawarden, Culverden, Hanmer and Waiau.

Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, says while most retailers are doing a good job, it is disappointing three have sold cigarettes to underage volunteers.

“In the previous 18 months there wasn't one sale to underage volunteers during Controlled Purchase Operations in Canterbury. To have three in a week is very disappointing,” Dr Humphrey says.

“Retailers who sell products that are harmful to your health need to take their responsibilities very seriously and not put lives at risk in pursuit of profit.”

Dr Humphrey says the three sales serve as a reminder to all tobacco retailers to ensure their staff are well trained to ask for ID from anyone who looks under 25.

“Just asking their age is not sufficient. They need to be able to present legitimate identification because once you have sold to one underage person you are likely to attract many more.”

The sale of tobacco and herbal smoking products to minors is viewed very seriously and the Ministry of Health's policy is to issue an Infringement Notice or prosecute in appropriate cases. In this case the three individuals who sold cigarettes were issued with $500 infringement notices.

ENDS

Tags

Back to Health News

Page last updated: 19 October 2022

Is this page useful?