VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital. 

Last updated:
31 October 2024

Some visitor restrictions for all Health New Zealand | 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 we encourage 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 are advised to not visit our facilities if they are unwell. We advise that you 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 encouraged to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Please practice hand hygiene with provided alcohol-based hand rub/gel

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 a surgical mask as a minimum – please use surgical masks provided.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours.

All visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers can be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where visitor restrictions might apply.

Patients and visitors can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Work underway to get Burwood Birthing Unit open

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Friday 8 April 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THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

Work is underway for the temporary reopening of Burwood Birthing Unit.

Canterbury DHB closed the unit, after staff and women felt unsafe being there, following the magnitude 5.7 earthquake on February 14.

This week David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive, announced it will be reopened until June 30, 2016, when it will be permanently closed and later demolished.

“Reopening is a priority but a number of things need carried out for this to happen,” Mr Meates says.

“The Burwood Birthing Unit is a 1940s building that contains significant asbestos throughout the building. We are currently undertaking thorough cleaning and asbestos testing as a precautionary measure before anyone moves back into the building.”

At this stage Tuesday, April 12 is the earliest the unit is likely to open. ​

“We will confirm Monday afternoon once all test results are clear.

“We thank everyone for their ongoing support and also acknowledge that for many the news Burwood Birthing Unit will be permanently closed on June 30th 2016 and then be demolished, is difficult.

“Canterbury DHB would have liked to have kept it open until a new primary maternity unit had been built in the Christchurch area. However, it's no longer an option and a Band-Aid solution is just not viable when you consider the extent of asbestos in the building and what is needed long term for our community.”

Mr Meates says the Canterbury DHB is committed to providing the right primary maternity services for the community and will continue to work closely with all key stakeholders, including Lead Maternity Carers, staff and the community to find an agreed way forward for future provisions of maternity services in Christchurch.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 October 2022

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