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

Two weeks left to get enrolled and take advantage of free GP

Friday 14 August 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.

Unenrolled Canterbury residents have less than two weeks left to get enrolled and take advantage of a free check-up with a General Practice team.

Last month the Canterbury Health System launched an initiative to encourage people who don't have a regular general practice team to get enrolled. Anyone enrolling for the first time in Canterbury will pay nothing for their first standard consultation this year.

David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive says if you're not enrolled with a general practice team, you're missing out.

“To make the most of health services here in Canterbury you need to enrol or register with a general practice, who can either help you there and then, or can refer you to specialist services,” Mr Meates says.

“It's estimated more than 30,000 workers and their families have moved to Canterbury for the rebuild. Many of those people are from overseas and don't know how the health system works and others may simply be new to Canterbury.

“Our Canterbury general practices provide high quality coordinated health care which is cheaper to these workers, and their families if they enrol.”

Mr Meates says as people enrol with a general practice, they immediately have a team of people helping them and their family stay well and healthy.

“Signing up to a practice provides access to expert advice and check-ups; means you pay less for your health care; and you'll have ongoing vaccination and health screening check reminders. Prescriptions will be cheaper too (or free for those under 13 and enrolled with a general practice team).”

You are entitled to enrol with a general practice team if you are a New Zealand, Cook Island, Niue or Tokelau citizen or are entitled to stay in New Zealand for two years or more – with a work visa for example.

If you are enrolled somewhere else in New Zealand, you should consider enrolling in Canterbury if you spend most of your time here – especially if you play sport here or may get a work-related injury. Registering makes an important connection between you and a general practice.

Vouchers for a free general practice consultation can be downloaded from www.cdhb.health.nz. Vouchers are valid for people who enrol for the first time in Canterbury before the end of August 2015. Once they have enrolled they can have their free consultation any time before the end of 2015.​

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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