Canterbury District Health Board Media Advisory

1)Lincoln Maternity Hospital and Burwood Birthing Unit will be closed until further notice.
Women who were intending to birth at the Units prior to the earthquake should go to Christchurch Women’s Hospital.
Staff at Christchurch Women’s Hospital have been advised and will be expecting more women to arrive there. Women affected by the changes are being contacted along with Lead Maternity Carers and staff at the closed units.

2)Numbers attending Christchurch Hospital have been steady. The Hospital is functioning well and is fully staffed. People presenting to the Emergency Department as a result of the earthquake have had mainly minor injuries. The number of cardiology admissions to the hospital is higher than normal.

3) Damage done to Canterbury’s hospitals by this morning’s earthquake is still being assessed. The water supply has been restored at Burwood Hospital and is running as usual at Christchurch Hospital but extra water is being supplied for patients and staff at Hillmorton and The Princess Margaret Hospitals. Christchurch and Burwood Hospitals are no longer using generators for electricity. Hillmorton and The Princess Margaret Hospitals have been told that the main power supply will be running again in the next few hours.

4)Christchurch social workers have activated their emergency response team and are working with patients, particularly the frail elderly.

5) As emphasised by Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker today health issues relating to water and sewerage are now the most pressing.

6)Christchurch’s after hours surgeries – the 24 Hour After Hours Surgery at Bealey Ave, Moorhouse Medical Centre and Riccarton Clinic - are reporting a steady numbers of patients but that they are coping well.

7)People with minor injuries are advised to care for one another and if they need medical assistance to visit one of the after hours surgeries. The Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital is for medical emergencies. Anyone needing an ambulance should as usual dial 111. Ambulance services are functioning as usual.

ENDS

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