• Visiting hours for Christchurch Hospital are from 11am – 1pm and 3pm – 8pm, with only one person visiting at a time
• Exceptions: Charge Nurse Managers can assess requests on a case by case basis. For example, exceptions will be considered on compassionate grounds including for end of life care
• Emergency Department – one support person only to accompany someone presenting to ED
• Radiology appointments – one support person only to accompany someone to a radiology appointment
• Oncology – one support person may accompany someone to an oncology appointment
• For children:
  • Paediatric Wards and this includes CHOC – two caregivers can accompany their child
• Anyone with planned/elective surgery or an outpatient appointment should turn up as planned – if there’s any change to your appointment we’ll contact you directly.

Due to the ongoing need to maintain physical distancing, support people will only be allowed in outpatients by exception.

If you need a support person with you at your appointment, please call the number on your outpatient appointment letter to arrange this.

Note: some outpatient appointments will continue to be carried out ‘virtually’ either over the phone, or by a video/Zoom call.

• Acute Assessment – one support person only to accompany someone presenting for acute assessment
• Women in labour in a maternity facility are allowed two support partners for the duration of the labour and birth
• Women who are having an elective caesarean section are allowed one support person
• For the duration of their postnatal stay a woman can have one named support person who will be able to visit
• Siblings of the new baby are no longer able to accompany this person.
• All visitors to our maternity facilities must scan or sign in each time they visit
• Outpatient appointments (including Fetal Maternal Medicine) – a support person will only be permitted under specific criteria – e.g. a person’s carer/support person is required to be with them due to complex needs/diagnosis/or clinical procedures.

Note: St Georges Maternity Unit is following the same guidelines.

The visiting hours at Burwood Hospital are 11am-7pm with only one person visiting at a time for each patient.

• Only one support person can attend with a patient for outpatient appointments and planned/elective surgery
• Radiology Appointments – one support person only to accompany someone to a radiology appointment
• Exceptions: Charge Nurse Managers can assess requests on a case by case basis. For example, exceptions will be considered on compassionate grounds including for end of life care. Please contact the Charge Nurse Manager to discuss, or the Duty Nurse Manager after hours.

• One person may visit once per day during Hillmorton Hospital and The Princess Margaret Hospital visiting hours
• One support person per outpatient
• Additional people will be considered by the Clinical/Charge Nurse Manager or Duty Nurse Manager (after hours). This must be by prior arrangement to ensure that we can meet physical distancing requirements.

From 4 November 2021 visiting hours at Ashburton Hospital are as normal, but:

• One visitor at a time – although more than one person can visit each day
• One support person per outpatient
• One support person to accompany someone to the Ashburton Acute Assessment Unit
• Radiology Appointments – one support person only to accompany someone to a radiology appointment

Exceptions: Nurse Managers can assess requests on a case by case basis.

Age-Related Residential Care facilities managed by Canterbury DHB in Oxford Hospital, Darfield Hospital, Ellesmere Hospital, Waikari Hospital, Tuarangi Home Ashburton 

• To ensure the safety of patients, all of whom are aged over 65, visitors to the Aged Residential Care part of these facilities are only allowed by prior appointment
• Please contact the facility to discuss with the manager. There may be a separate entrance for visitors, please check with staff.

Visiting Acute care patients

• Visiting Hours 10am to 12 noon and 3pm to 6pm for next two weeks and to be reviewed
• Maximum of 2 designated visitors per patient, with only one designated visitor attending at a time
• Visits no longer than 30 minutes
• Visitors are asked to bring their own mask or face covering
• Visitors are required to visit in the patient room; not to visit with any other patients and to maintain physical distancing – 2 metres away from people you don’t know and one metre away from people you know

Note: Exceptions will be considered on compassionate grounds for end of life care, they will any additional visits as approved by the Nurse Manager/Clinical Director.

Visiting for residents in Age Related Residential Care (Rest Home)

• Visiting hours are from 10am to 12 noon and 3pm to 6pm
• Two designated visitors per resident, with only one designated visitor attending at a time, and all visits are to occur in the resident’s room
• Please bring a mask to wear if you will be within two metres of residents
• We ask that you continue to enter via the door from the deck, ringing the doorbell to get the attention of staff
• Please sign in and out in our Visitors book for each visit
• Please do not visit if you are unwell as this puts our vulnerable elderly patients at risk.

Christchurch Hospital Shuttle Bus from the Deans Avenue Car Park

While we encourage everyone eligible to get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others, you are not required to show your My Vaccine Pass when you use the Shuttle. You do, however need to comply with the rules for public transport under the COVID-19 Protection Framework which in the case of shuttle use are:

• If you are unwell please don’t use the shuttle.
• Shuttle passengers are asked to use the hand sanitiser upon entry to the shuttle.
• Please scan the QR code if you have the NZ COVID Tracer App on your phone.
• The number of seats available on the shuttle will be limited to 5. The front passenger seat must remain empty.
•  It is mandatory to wear surgical/medical masks on the shuttle, unless you have an exemption.

About the shuttle service

The hospital shuttle service runs from the Deans Avenue car park, stopping at Waipapa building Emergency Department entrance, Christchurch Outpatients Building, and the main entrance of Christchurch Hospital.

Shuttles run every 15 minutes from:

• Monday to Friday: Shuttles run every 15 minutes between 6.15am and 8.30pm.
• Saturday and Sunday: Shuttle runs every 15 minutes between 11.00am and 8.00pm.
• The shuttle is for users of the Deans Ave Car Park. Please show the driver your ticket if requested.
• Please note, there is a mandatory break between 2.30pm and 3.15pm on the weekends for our drivers, so no shuttle will operate at this time.

How to use the shuttle

• The Deans Ave Car Park, near the Moorhouse Ave end of Deans Ave, is now sealed, fenced and lit in the evenings.
• Please take your ticket from the machine at the barrier arm as you enter the car park, and park anywhere there is a space. You can park for up to 24 hours.
• As the shuttle is only for users of the Deans Ave Car Park, please have your ticket ready to show the driver if requested.
• Make your way to the covered waiting area in the middle of the car park with seating provided. The Hospital Shuttle will pick up from and return here.

Paying for your parking

• Pay for your parking at one of the pay machines before you return to your car.
• Payment is available via cash (coins and notes), credit card and eftpos $0.60 transaction fee applies.

Parking costs and time limits

• Monday to Friday (Day): $5.00 for first four hours parking. $1.50 per 1 hour thereafter or part thereof to a maximum of $15.00
• Monday to Friday (Nights – Entry after 6pm): Max charge $10.00. Valid until 9am the following morning
• Weekends: $5.00 for first four hours parking. All day (Valid until 6am the following morning) $10.00.

About the shuttle

The shuttle is free for users of the Deans Ave Car Park and operates between 6.15am and 8.30pm on weekdays and between 11am and 8pm Saturday and Sunday.

There is a mandatory break between 2.30pm and 3.15pm on the weekends for our drivers, so no shuttle will operate at this time.

Shuttles leave every 15 to 20 minutes and drop off and pick up at Christchurch Outpatients, Christchurch Hospital main entrance, and Waipapa outside the Emergency Department.

The shuttle journey takes around 8-10 minutes depending on traffic.

The new car park is a clear walk through Hagley Park to the hospital. This walk takes around 15-20 minutes and there is a sealed footpath all the way.

The shuttles are clearly marked with our new bright livery, so please make sure that you get on the correct shuttle.

Parents are responsible for bringing their children's car seats. The shuttle can accommodate prams.

The shuttle is not suitable for wheelchairs. There is mobility car parking on site and near Christchurch Hospital.

Please note that drivers take a half-hour lunch break around 1pm and so there may be some delay at this time.

Note

This is the only shuttle service run by Canterbury District Health Board.

Our shuttles are clearly marked with the Deans Ave Car Park destination.

Franchised or independently-owned businesses such as community pharmacies, flower vendors, hairdressers, volunteer shops etc. will have a set of rules that apply under the COVID-19 Protection Framework and will manage appropriate access. Cafés within DHB facilities are also subject to rules or restrictions under the COVID-19 Protection Framework – this will always include a requirement to scan or sign in, physical distancing, limits on numbers and mask wearing when not eating/drinking.

It may also include checking My Vaccine Passes. Where passes cannot be checked, cafés are subject to stricter limits on numbers and may become staff only (all staff are fully vaccinated) and/or provide contactless service only, which may mean seating has to be removed and people will not be allowed to eat or drink while seated in waiting areas nearby (when waiting for takeaway food or coffee).

Here is a summary of who can use which cafés and when staff ID or other proof of vaccination will be needed.

Café opening hours, ID, and access requirements from Friday 14 January onwards: