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 .

Health warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality at Sandy Bay and Rapaki

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Sunday 22 December 2019Media 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.

Unsafe Recreational Water Quality at Sandy Bay and Rapaki

The Community and Public Health division of Canterbury District Health Board has issued a health warning after very high levels of faecal bacteria were found in samples taken from Sandy Bay and Rapaki.

Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, says “Water quality in the Sandy Bay and Rapaki areas are not considered suitable for recreational uses including swimming because of the risk to health from the bacteria and other pathogens.

Eating shellfish from these sites should also be avoided.  If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash in clean water before cooking. For further information on gathering Mahinga Kai refer to information below.

Water contaminated by human or animal faecal matter may contain a range of disease causing micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa. 

“In most cases the ill-health effects from exposure to contaminated water are minor and short-lived.  However, there is the potential for more serious diseases, such as hepatitis A, or salmonella infection,” Dr Humphrey says.

The sites where water quality is affected are listed on Environment Canterbury and LAWA’s website, he says.

ENDS

For more information on affected sites visit: http://ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/swimming-water-quality/Pages/check-swimming-water-quality.aspx

https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/swimming/sandy-bay/swimsite

https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/swimming/rapaki-bay/

For more information on mahinga kai: Mahinga Kai

Media queries can be directed to Canterbury DHB Media Advisor Renee Parsons on (03) 337 8735, 027 561 6253, or Renee.Parsons@cdhb.health.nz

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Page last updated: 30 July 2020

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