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

Wellbeing continues to improve for many

Tuesday 6 June 2017Media release2 minutes to read

The latest Canterbury Wellbeing Survey shows the wellbeing of greater Christchurch residents continues to improve.

Chair of the Psychosocial Governance Group Evon Currie says since the first survey in September 2012, quality of life indicators have been on an upward trend.

“Just over eight in ten (82 per cent) survey respondents rated their quality of life as good or extremely good,” Evon says.

Another measure of wellbeing, the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index, has also shown an upward trend since the survey began, she says.

“The results indicate that life is getting much better for the majority of people in greater Christchurch – it's  clear that time is a great healer,” Evon says.

“Fewer people now have unresolved insurance claims or are frustrated by living in a damaged environment and the proportion of people who feel encouraged by the signs of progress in the city continues to rise.”

While many are doing better, things are still “not so rosy” for a significant section of the population, Evon says.

“It is clear that the recovery is far from over for some in our community,” she says.

“People surveyed are much more likely to have a lower quality of life score if they rent, are on a low income, have a health condition or disability, or if they have unresolved insurance or EQC claims.”

Evon says the Survey also highlights that questions remain for some Cantabrians about  the quality of their earthquake repairs.

The Survey findings will guide the delivery of services and supports in greater Christchurch.

“More than six years on from the first earthquake, agencies remain committed to working together to ensure services continue to adapt to meet the needs of those whose recovery is not over,” she says.

“The wealth of information provided by the Survey will help ensure recovery policies and programmes reflect the real needs of our community.”

Read the results of the September 2016 Canterbury Wellbeing Survey.

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Page last updated: 3 October 2018

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