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 .

Tell us what you think

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Telling us about your experience

We are committed to providing quality healthcare and positive patient experiences, and what you think about your care is important to us.

We want to know what we are doing well and where we can improve. Patients, family/whānau and visitors can send us suggestions, compliments or complaints using a feedback form (located beside blue Customer Response boxes found in some hospitals and community services) or you can send a complaint, compliment, and suggestion by using this website's Feedback Form.

Your feedback is very important to us.

If you have received care by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Waitaha/Canterbury (the former Canterbury DHB) this can also be care provided via telephone/video link, you may be invited to participate in a patient experience survey via email or text message.

Taking part is voluntary and your feedback will be anonymous.

Your feedback is used by our teams to monitor care provided and assist us in identifying what went well and what could be done better.

Being in hospital can be a worrying time and there are people you can talk to. If you or your whānau/family have any questions or concerns, please ask staff for assistance. Concerns can often be addressed by talking with the nurse in charge.

If you or your relatives have a personal, domestic, financial problem or issues relating to your hospital stay or discharge, a social worker may be available to assist.

You also have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of services provided (see below).

You can discuss your care and treatment by contacting:

1) The person in charge of the ward or service

2) The customer services manager

Ashburton, Chatham Islands, Darfield, Ellesmere, Kaikōura, Oxford, Tūārangi & Waikari Hospitals: 03 307 8450

Burwood Hospital: 03 383 6836

Canterbury Health Laboratories: 03 364 0388

Christchurch Hospital: 03 364 0843

Christchurch Women's Hospital: 03 364 4556

Mental Health Services: 03 339 1160

Older Persons Health Service: 03 339 1160

3) Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury via our website

Feedback Form

4) Patient Advocacy Service

The Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service can assist you.

This service is independent of Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury. It is a free service and provides:

  • Information on Health and Disability Consumer Rights
  • Assistance to answer questions and resolve difficulties
  • Help you make a complaint

Phone: 0800 555 050

Christchurch Advocacy Office
Phone: 03 377 7501

5) Health and Disability Commissioner's Office

You may also go directly to the Health & Disability Commissioner's Office with your concerns.

Phone: 0800 11 22 33 or 09 373 1060

Complaints

Complaints provide us with an opportunity to review and improve our services.

We will acknowledge your complaint within five working days of receiving it.

We endeavour to investigate your complaint within 20 working days from the date of acknowledgement. We will tell you if this will take longer and the reasons this is necessary.

Where extensive investigations are required, you will be kept informed in writing on a monthly basis, or at agreed intervals until the matter is resolved.

If you want independent support to help you during the complaint process, you may wish to use the free advocacy services available (detailed above).

Page last updated: 7 November 2023

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