CDHB - Emergencies only to hospital please

People being asked to keep emergency department for serious casualties after major quake hits Christchurch

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) chief executive David Meates said that CDHB has activated its full emergency plan.

Christchurch Hospital is operational but people are being asked to keep the Emergency Department for major casualties only. The hospital, along with most other hospitals in the region has suffered infrastructure damage. A generator has been brought in to maintain power supply at Christchurch Hospital Riverside Block. If power is not fully restored this evening patients at Christchurch Hospital's Riverside Block may need to be evacuated.

Large volumes of patients are being triaged through the Christchurch Hospital ED, many with serious injuries. Patients with non-life threatening injuries are being assessed and treated in Christchurch Women's Hospital and the Outpatients Department.

All other people with non-serious injuries should contact their own doctor or visit an after-hours medical centre. If you have elderly neighbours or people who live alone please check on them.

The hospital is expecting a second wave of casualties to arrive this evening and again after the Urban Rescue teams have completed assessments.

The first priority is to treat patients and we will be able to provide media with an updated statement later tonight.

CDHB has requested additional staff to help as Christchurch has reached capacity. The intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care are very busy and we have requested additional ICU and NICU nurses, along with general medical, surgical and paediatric nurses. Additional staffing is being coordinated through the National Health Coordination Centre in Wellington.

Patients from the top two floors of Christchurch Hospital have been evacuated to lower floors. there is some water damage throughout the hospital but we are awaiting further assessments.

It's likely that some stable patients will be transferred out of Christchurch to hospitals in surrounding areas to free up beds for the seriously ill.

Triage centres

Triage centres have been set up at the following locations:
• Latimer Square
• Sanitarium Factory, Papanui
• Spotlight mall Beckenham
• Bealey Avenue 24 hour medical centre
• The Princess Margaret Hospital
• Christchurch Hospital

Elective surgery and outpatient appointments postponed
All surgery and outpatient appointments at all CDHB hospital are cancelled for the next 48 hours. We will keep the public updated of any changes.

Any planned admissions are asked to stay home and not come to hospital.

ends

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