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

During your visit to hospital

Information for patients about what can happen during a visit to a hospital in Canterbury.

COVID-19 mask advice for patients

To prevent transmission between inpatients from people who may have tested negative on admission but were incubating a COVID-19 infection, our Infection and Prevention and Control team strongly encourage patients who are moving around the wards to wear a medical mask - not just when in transit/being transferred between clinical areas or between hospitals. When patients are at rest in their beds, they may choose to wear their mask or not – but we encourage them to wear one as much as they can.

Every person who uses health and disability services has rights. Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury and our people who provide health and disability services have duties. These rights and duties are clearly set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights (1996).

In summary, your rights under this code are:

  • Respect: The right to be treated with respect
  • Fair treatment: The right to freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation
  • Dignity and independence: The right to dignity and independence
  • Proper standards: The right to services of an appropriate standard
  • Communication: The right to effective communication
  • Information: The right to be fully informed
  • It’s your decision: The right to make an informed choice and give informed consent
  • Support: The right to support
  • Teaching and research: Rights in respect of teaching or research
  • Complaints: The right to complain

Tips:

  • You should know what to expect. Your health care team will discuss with you your diagnosis, options available, the pros and cons of those options and what matters to you
  • With our assistance and support you can make decisions about your health and plan of care
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for more information or to question anything you don’t understand
  • We encourage you to bring a family member or friend you want to be involved in your care

Pamphlets explaining your rights when using our services are available in all wards and departments.

For more information please refer to the Health and Disability Commission (HDC). HDC can be contacted on:

The Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service is a free service that operates independently from Te Whatu Ora. It can help you know more about your rights when using health or disability services, get questions answered or make a complaint. It can be contacted on:

Te Whatu Ora encompasses the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and treats Māori people and people of all cultures with respect.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles:

  • Partnership – We work together with you and your whānau to support you on your health journey
  • Protection – We respect and observe tikanga practices, values, beliefs and taonga (Te Reo Māori) while caring for you in a culturally appropriate way
  • Participation – We create opportunities for you and your whānau to actively participate in managing your own health and ensure you can access services that meet your needs

What is Kōrero mai?

Kōrero mai, means ‘talk to me’ in Māori and is the name of our patient/client and whānau/ family escalation of care process.

You, your whānau/ family, carer and/or support person are a valued and important part of the healthcare team when you are in hospital. Any time that you are concerned we encourage you to ‘talk’ with us.

We believe that whānau/ family, carers or your support person know you best so may recognise changes in your health condition sooner than the healthcare staff. 

With your help, our staff can be prompted to respond as quickly as possible to a patient who is getting sicker. Sometimes extra care may be needed, or we may need to move the patient/client to another area where they can be monitored more closely. 

Kōrero mai is available in the following services:

  • Burwood Hospital Inpatient wards (OPH&R,)
  • Christchurch campus Adult Inpatient wards includes Gynaecology
  • Emergency Department
  • Child and Youth inpatient areas, (Matatiki Child and Youth Internet site - select Staying at Hospital, then scroll down the list to Family Escalation)
  • Maternity: Birthing suite, Acute observation unit, Maternity ward, Maternity assessment unit and Day assessment unit.

What to expect

Our healthcare staff will encourage you and your whānau/ family, carers and support person to tell them about any concerns you have and ask questions regularly during your hospital stay/visit. We hope this makes you feel comfortable to raise any concerns you may have.

You will see Kōrero mai signs at each bed in Maternity and Paediatrics and posters or stickers on the bedside boards around the Christchurch and Burwood Hospitals, along with the patient/client and whānau/ family information leaflets that will provide you with information about the Kōrero mai process.

Staff will talk to you about the Kōrero mai process and point out the nearest sign or the bedside board sticker. They may also have provided you with the patient/client and whānau/ family information leaflet to read or directed you to this information on the website.

What to do if you are worried or concerned you or the patient/client is getting sicker:

  • Step 1: Speak to the nurse/midwife or the nurse/midwife in charge right away. Tell them why you’re concerned.

  • Step 2: If you are still concerned after speaking with the nurse/midwife or the nurse/midwife in charge, you can ask the nurse/midwife or the nurse/midwife in charge to call for an urgent ‘doctor review’.

  • Step 3: If the doctor has seen you/the patient/client but you are still very concerned they are getting sicker and your concerns have not been adequately addressed in Step 2, you can phone 0800 999 400 to speak to the operator for assistance to organise another medical review 24hrs a day.

The operator will ask you to confirm that your concerns are about you/or a patient/client getting sicker. They will also ask you for:

  • your (or the patient’s/clients) name
  • the location – both the Ward and room number

Who can use Kōrero mai?

  • Patients/clients
  • Whānau/ Families
  • Carers
  • Support person

When to use Kōrero mai?

Patients/clients

  • When you feel your health condition is getting worse and you are worried

Whānau/ Families/ Carers/ Support person

  • When the patient/client is looking worse or is not doing as well as expected (e.g. changes in breathing, sleepiness, colour, heartbeat, pain)
  • When the patient/client shows any behaviour that is not normal for them (e.g. confusion, anxiety, aggression, restlessness)

Kōrero mai Resources

Kōrero mai Patient and Whānau/Family Information sheets

Kōrero mai processes for patients and whānau

The Kōrero mai processes for patients/clients and whānau/families to follow are service specific. Please follow the 3 step process that best describes the facility and patient type below. The signs are available in English and Te reo Māori.

Kōrero mai Bedside Board Sticker – this contains a QR code that will direct you to this internet page, click here to see what it looks like.

 

Your health information

To provide you with appropriate care and treatment, we may need to share information with or collect information from people such as your family, caregivers, or general practitioner (GP).
The Health Information Privacy Code 1994 sets out what our obligations are with respect to your health information and also what your rights are.

More information about this can be found in our Privacy Statement and at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website

Asking for your information / patient health records

You have the right to see your health record and other information Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury holds about you.

There are three ways to request a copy of your medical record and patient info from the Patient Information Office:

If you have any questions about your care, what is happening and when, you can ask a staff member at any time for information.

Collecting your information

Health information is collected for your care and treatment. Usually, we collect information directly from you, but if this is not possible/practical we may collect it from another person and then check with you as soon as possible.

If your personal information has changed

It is important the information we hold about you is accurate and up-to-date to provide a safe standard of care during your stay in hospital.

Please let us know if any of your personal details change or are incorrect (e.g. address, mobile phone, next of kin), or if there is any additional information that may help us understand your situation.

Managing your information

It is normal for us to give necessary and relevant information about you to your GP, the health care professional who referred you, your community nurse, or other healthcare professionals involved in your ongoing care.

In most cases we require your consent before we share information about you with somebody else. However, in certain circumstances we may, in accordance with the law, provide information about you to others, such as government agencies (e.g. ACC, the Police, and Oranga Tamariki) or your family/caregivers/whānau that you live with if we think it is necessary for your care and treatment, for your safety or the safety of others.

We may also provide your information to the Ministry of Health and other government agencies that require us to provide information or administrative, legal, contractual, statistical, research or public health purposes. Your information is kept confidential and you will not be identified in any way. Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury Your Rights pamphlet provides more information.

Please tell the staff caring for you if you:               

  • Do not want even general information about your condition shared with your family or friends (Note: We cannot always follow your wishes, but we will take your views into account when a decision is made)
  • Want to know why certain information is needed
  • Are uneasy about providing certain information

Security of your information

Your information will be stored securely, and only authorised staff can access your information.

Staff asking for your details

Staff will ask your name, date of birth and your address many times during your visit. This makes sure we give the right medication, treatment or procedure to the right person. If we give you an identification bracelet please keep it on at all times. If your bracelet is removed for any reason, please tell your nurse immediately.

Displaying your name

If you are admitted we usually display your name above your bed and outside your room. Staff will ask you about this when you arrive in the ward. Please tell us if this may cause problems and we will make other arrangements.

Private conversations

You may be in a room with other people. Please tell us if you would like us to take you to another room to discuss your health in private.

No recording and videoing of staff

Please do not record or video any conversations or procedures with staff, unless staff give you their consent to do so.

Please be mindful in making any recording that you may be capturing the personal information of other people who have not consented to the recording and therefore you may be breaching their privacy in making and keeping any recording.

Your choice about being involved in teaching and research

There are health professionals training in our hospitals. You have the right to refuse permission for these students to be involved in your care or see your medical records. If you refuse, this does not affect the care you receive in any way.

CCTV in some areas

CCTV cameras are operating in some areas of Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury, such as the entrance and reception areas of our facilities, the Emergency Department and public areas. This is to keep patients, visitors and staff safe. We may provide video footage to the Police to support crime prevention and investigate incidents.

When you arrive at the ward:

  • The ward clerk or nurse will meet you
  • While staying in hospital, you will always have a nurse assigned to your care
  • The nurses assigned to you on each shift will introduce themselves to you when they come on duty
  • You will generally remain on this ward for the time of your hospital stay but may be transferred to a different room
  • If you need help, ring your nurse using the call button provided
  • Please do not leave the ward without letting your nurse know. To ensure you get proper care, we need to know where you are at all times

See our two-minute patient safety video for tips on how to stay healthy in the ward.

Doctors/Tākuta give medical or surgical advice and treatment

House Surgeon/House Officer/Intern

Qualified doctor who has not begun specialist training

Registrar

Experienced doctor training in a specialty

RMO (Resident Medical Officer)

House Surgeon or Registrar

Specialist Specialist Medical Officer (SMO)

Senior doctor or surgeon who has specialised in a certain field. Also known as an SMO (Specialist Medical Officer)

Consultant

Senior hospital doctor or surgeon who is a specialist in their field

 

Nurses assess, treat, and care for patients in hospitals

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)/Mahi Nēhi

Nurse Practitioners are highly-trained and experienced nurses who assess, diagnose, treat, prescribe and manage care across different healthcare services.

Registered Nurses/Tapuhi Whai Rēhitatanga (RNs)

Registered Nurses assess, treat, care for and support patients in hospitals, clinics, residential care facilities and their homes.

Health Care Assistants/Tiaki hauora kaiāwhina

Health Care Assistant provide basic care, observe patients under the direction of a RN and ensure patients have the best experience possible.

 

Administrators/Kaiwhakahaere provide administrative support

Ward Clerks

Ward Clerks welcome patients and their visitors to the ward, ensure patient records are updated and liaise with other departments e.g. to make follow-up appointments

Outpatient Administrators

Outpatient Administrators arrive and depart patients attending appointments and manage bookings to ensure patients receive treatment within the required guidelines.

 

Other staff who support patients while in hospital

Pharmacy staff/kaimahi rongoā

Pharmacy staff work with the medical teams to ensure we have an up-to-date list of your medicines, record any allergies you have and provide information on new medicines started.

Kaimahi Hauora Māori

A Māori Health worker provides tautoko (cultural support and advice) to tūroro (patients) and their whānau (family members) while they are in the hospital. They may also advocate for patients and provide them with information and resources to help your recovery if needed.

Dietitians/Pūkenga Whakaita Kai

Dietitians give advice and counselling about diet, food and nutrition to individuals and communities. They also design nutrition programmes to support health and wellbeing.

Physiotherapists/Kairomiromi (Physios)

Physios help patients recover from disability or problems caused by physical, brain, and nervous system disorders to restore function and independence.

Occupational Therapists/Kaiwhakaora Ngangahau (OTs)

OTs assess and treat people who have trouble with everyday activities because of illness, injury or circumstance.

Speech Language Therapists/Kaihaumanu Reo ā-Waha (SLTs)

SLTs assess and treat people who have problems with communication or swallowing. This may include difficulties with speech, language, thought processes or moving their bodies.

Social Workers/Kaimahi Toko i te Ora

Social Workers provide care, advice and support to people with personal or social problems, and help with community and social issues.

Midwives/Tapuhi ā-Whare

Midwives provide care and support to women, their partners and family/whānau during pregnancy, labour and birth, and for six weeks following the birth. They also provide wellness and parenting advice to mothers and families.

Catering Assistants/Kaiāwhina Whakatutuki

Catering Assistants provide a personal meal service with food and drinks according to your dietary needs.

Orderlies/Tika

Orderlies help clinical staff take care of patients’ needs by transporting patients; delivering samples, oxygen, and clinical documents; maintaining and cleaning equipment; and other tasks.

Your health care team uses electronic devices (smartphones and tablets) to:

  • Enter information in your health record
  • Record your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and other observations
  • Give you medication
  • Send and receive messages about your care

This information all forms part of your health record.

Our approach is “team-based care”. Your health care team will discuss with you your rights, your diagnosis, options available, plan of care and if possible the date we hope to get you home.

You may experience the following during your stay:

Bedside boards

A board near your bed is regularly updated to show your needs (e.g. any assistance needed with moving, hearing or sight aids, or special diet). There is space on the board for you or your family to list any questions you want answered.

Bedside handover

At the end of the morning shift, nurses will discuss important updates with you and hand over ongoing tasks to the afternoon shift.

Rounding

Nurses check in on you regularly to make sure you have everything you need (e.g. call bell and drink within reach, help to the toilet).

Ward rounds

Members of your health care team visit each bed and give you an opportunity to ask questions.

We want you involved in discussions and decisions about your care. It is important to ask any questions and if there is anything you don’t understand or are not happy with, please ask for more information until things are clear.

Relatives and friends can telephone the patient enquiries desk at the hospital.

Visiting hours are listed on each hospital page.

Ashburton Hospital

Burwood Hospital

Christchurch Hospital

Christchurch Women's Hospital

Hillmorton Hospital

Kaikōura Health

The Princess Margaret Hospital

ALL hospitals and health facilities

Our own Wellfood team locally sources our food and prepares it at the hospital sites. All our meals are nutritionally approved.

We will assess your dietary needs and bring you suitable meals.

Meal service

Meal times vary at each of our hospitals:

Hospital
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Drink trolley service?
Menu
Christchurch Hospital
6.45-8am
11.40am-1pm
4.40-6pm
Yes
Spoken
Burwood Hospital
7.30-8.15am
11.30am-12.30pm
4.45-5.45pm
Yes
Spoken
Hillmorton Hospital
7-07.30am
11.45am-12.15pm
4.45-5.20pm
Yes
Paper
Ashburton Hospital
7.45-8.45am
12-1pm
5-6pm
Yes
Paper

 

Hospital Cafes

CafesOpening hoursPayment Method
Great Escape Café9am - 7.30pm, 7 days.Cash and Cashless payments
Willow Lane, Waipapa8am - 8pm, 7 days.Cashless transactions only
Kanuka, Outpatients7am - 3.30pm, Monday - Friday.​Cashless transactions only
PeaBerry, Waipapa
7am - 3.30pm, Monday - Friday.Cashless transactions only
Parkside Café
7am - 3pm, Monday - Friday.Cash and Cashless payments
Christchurch Women's Hospital Café8am - 2pm, Monday - Friday.Cashless transactions only
Ashburton Hospital Café8am - 3:30pm, Monday - Friday.Cash and Cashless payments
Burwood Travis Courtyard Café8am - 4pm, 7 days.Cash and Cashless payments
Hillmorton Hospital Avon Café8am - 3pm, Monday - Friday.Cash and Cashless payments

 

Christchurch Hospital snack and drink vending machines

Vending Machine Location
Level 1, Waipapa
Emergency Department, Waipapa
Level 1, Riverside
Radiology, Riverside
Ward 25, Riverside
Ward 27, Riverside
Ward 29, Riverside
Ward 17, Parkside
Great Escape Cafe
Level 2, Christchurch Women's Hospital
Level 5, Christchurch Women's Hospital

Page last updated: 10 November 2023

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