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

WellNow Canterbury – Winter 2019

Tuesday 4 June 2019WellNow Canterbury Magazine2 minutes to read

WelllNow Canterbury Magazine - Winter 2019WellNow Canterbury is our community health magazine which goes to every Canterbury mailbox twice a year. This edition features stories ranging from an internship programme giving young people with learning disabilities an opportunity to enter the workforce, to preventing pressure injuries, to how you can get a better night’s sleep.

Highlighted stories

Therapy dogs part of rehabilitation at Burwood Hospital

Each week, patients at Burwood Hospital are visited by therapy dogs and their trainers, and the dogs play an important part in helping them get well.

“Try to remember that there is hope, even when it truly doesn’t feel like it”: Getting through depression

In an end-of-year speech that received national attention, a former head girl opened up about being diagnosed with clinical depression, and she shares her journey through the illness here in WellNow. Signs and symptoms of depression, and where you can get help if things in the story resonate with you, are also included.

Nurses driving Morris Minors raise over $5000

An air filter fell off and some leaks on a rainy day left them freezing cold, but a fundraising trip driving two Morris Minors to Rotorua otherwise went to plan for two Christchurch Nurses, resulting in $5000 being raised for the New Zealand Spinal Trust.

You can read the full online magazine in two different formats:

View on issuu.com Download PDF (5MB)

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Page last updated: 20 June 2019

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