Earthquake Update Fourteen - Canterbury dhb

27 February 2011
Earthquake Update Fourteen – Canterbury District Health Board

PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ADVICE TO AVOID GETTING SICK WITH STOMACH BUGS AND OTHER ILLNESSES.
BOIL DRINKING WATER

Boil all water from taps and tankers before drinking, brushing teeth, or washing or using in food preparation. Water needs to be brought to the boil, it does not need to be boiled for a period of time.

Alternatively, water can be treated by adding household bleach to it. Use 5 drops of bleach to 1 litre of water or 1 teaspoon of bleach per 10 litres of water and leave for 30 minutes before drinking.

The City Council will advise when it is no longer necessary to boil or treat tap water.

REST HOME RESIDENTS BEING RELOCATED

Almost 200 rest home residents have been transferred out of Christchurch to other regions by the end of today (Saturday 26 February). Another 14 identified for evacuation may be transferred on Monday.

Family members of evacuated residents with any concerns should phone 03 337 8937 for further information.

Only residents from facilities where there has been structural damage are being relocated at this stage.

Rest home staff are doing an amazing job despite trying circumstances – many are keeping their residents safe and well despite no water, power and, or telephone.

Some rest home residents have gone home with family members or friends and it is very important that they or their families make contact and stay in contact with their family general practice to ensure the medical needs of their elderly relative are being met.

Many rest homes need logistical help especially with practical things like, water and laundry.

Respite care capacity is significantly limited and access is via GP referral only.

Staff who have been freed up with the transfer of residents elsewhere are likely to be redeployed and allocated to operating homes in Christchurch.

FREE GP CARE HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL SUNDAY MARCH 6

Canterbury residents with urgent medical needs can visit a GP free of charge until end of day next Sunday (March 6).

GPs WANTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WAIVED FEES

GPs wanting more information about waived fees should phone 353 9966 (Pegasus)

PRESCRIPTIONS FEES WAIVED UNTIL SUNDAY WEEK

Patients will not have to pay the $3 co-payment or any other part-charges or premiums on their prescriptions until Sunday March 6

A MESSAGE FROM HEALTH MINISTER TONY RYALL TO CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD CEO DAVID MEATES:

‘This week you and your team have shown the rest of New Zealand and the world how our health services have pulled together to support each other and the community. Many of you will be dealing with losses among family and friends or colleagues, but you have put patients' needs - and the needs of Canterbury people ahead of your own. I thank each and every one of you and wish you and your families well as Christchurch begins the long road to recovery.’

Tony Ryall
Minister of Health

KEY PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGES (REVISED)

People need to take the following advice to avoid getting sick with stomach bugs and other illnesses.

Boil drinking water

Boil all water from taps and tankers before drinking, brushing teeth, or washing or using in food preparation. Water needs to be brought to the boil, it does not need to be boiled for a period of time.

Alternatively, water can be treated by adding household bleach to it. Use 5 drops of bleach to 1 litre of water or 1 teaspoon of bleach per 10 litres of water and leave for 30 minutes before drinking.

The City Council will advise when it is no longer necessary to boil or treat tap water.

Be careful with human waste

If you are disposing of human waste (faeces, poo, vomit etc) either:
• bury it in your garden; or
• wrap it well in paper or plastic and put it in your red bin for collection.

Wash your hands immediately after dealing with any human waste.

Wash your hands regularly

Sanitize or wash hands after toileting, and before and after preparing food.
Cold water is sufficient for hand washing provided soap is used.

If you don’t have water, hand sanitizer is a good alternative. Hand sanitizer is available from official water tanker sites.

Avoid contact with Sewage

People who have sewage contamination within their homes are advised to move to alternative accommodation.

Avoid contact with river, sea water, ponds, puddles and any other surface water, as it may be contaminated with sewage. Do not swim, fish or gather shellfish.

The authorities will inform the public when the ocean and rivers are safe for contact and normal use again.

If you are unwell seek help

Anyone who is unwell with a minor injury or illness and needs medical assistance can call your GP or the Twenty-Four Hour Surgery. The majority of GPs in Christchurch are now open.

Dial 111 for emergency medical attention. The ambulance service and the Emergency Department at the Hospital are dealing with large numbers of patients, so should only be contacted in emergencies.

If you are sick, try to limit contact with other people, do not go to work and do not prepare food for anyone – especially if you are suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting.

Take care with food

Extreme care should be taken with refrigerated or defrosted frozen food – as it is will go bad faster than usual.

Get rid of food that is smelly, slimy, mouldy or discoloured.

Until power returns, purchase and consume food that does not require refrigeration – such as fruit, or tinned or packet foods. Once power has returned, do not refreeze defrosted foods.

Do not eat garden produce if the soil has been affected by liquefaction

Look after each other

Keep in touch with families, friends and neighbours and support each other.

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL

Hospital services are continuing to provide care for hundreds of inpatients and there are no capacity issues. Staff are doing a remarkable job considering everyone has been affected by the quake. Some hospital buildings have sustained damage and all are constantly being checked for damage by structural engineers.

Total occupancy at Christchurch Hospital as at 2.30 pm Sunday 27 February was 309 and there were 15 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - it is not known at this stage how many in ICU have earthquake related conditions.
As of midday today, there were 22 patients in the Emergency Department .

Neonatal intensive care remains busy while maternity services are busy but steady. As at 11 am today 10 babies have been born over the previous 12 hours. This is what we would expect at this time of year.

There are sufficient numbers of midwives in the immediate and will be contacting a pool of available midwives including self employed midwives to relieve staff over the next few weeks.

Staffing levels are good and have been boosted by colleagues from around the country. Stable patients continue to be transferred to other hospitals to free beds for the seriously ill.

Burwood birthing unit is closed today.

Lyndhurst Centre is closed until Monday and women with appointments will be contacted by a staff member.

Rangiora and Lincoln birthing units are open.

As at midday Sunday 27 February - Princess Margaret Hospital has 153 patients, Burwood Hospital 81 patients and Ashburton Hospital 14 patients.

OUTPATIENT SERVICES AT CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL

Clinical staff at Christchurch Hospital are reviewing all outpatient records to ensure people whose appointment can’t be put off are seen as soon as possible. Patients in urgent need of care will be contacted if they are required to attend an appointment.

It’s planned that some clinics for a limited number of urgent patients will open on Tuesday 1 March.

These will include oncology and paediatric clinics at the hospital.

All orthopaedic fracture follow-up clinics are continuing as normally scheduled.

The Diabetes Centre is closed until further notice. The CDHB diabetes team are offering a service for people who cannot access their GP and have unstable diabetes or other serious diabetes-related issues which require further advice or assessment. Patients who can’t get to their GP can phone 364 0640 to be put in touch with a diabetes triage nurse who is available 8.30am to 5pm only. If outside these hours contact the Bealey Ave 24-hour medical centre.

The New Zealand Dental Association advises all patients in need of emergency or routine dental care to contact their own dentist first. If you can’t contact your own dentist, the oral health emergency centre has been relocated to Hillmorton. This is a Monday to Friday service only. For appointments ph 335 4260.

ALL ELECTIVE SURGERY POSTPONED UNTIL 7 MARCH

All elective surgery (public and private) in Christchurch is postponed until Monday 7 March 2011 at earliest. Alternative arrangements are being made for non-deferrable surgery.

METHADONE PATIENTS

If you are a methadone patient and your usual pharmacy is closed, phone the Community Alcohol and Drug Service (CADS) on 335 4350 and they will direct you to the nearest pharmacy.

MEALS ON WHEELS WILL RESUME NEXT WEEK.

Meals on wheels is planned to resume on Tuesday – if you have elderly neighbours or people who live alone, please check on them and help out if you can with meals and support.

MEDIA ARE NOT TO ACCESS CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL OR STAFF WITHOUT PERMISSION

IF YOU NEED MEDICAL CARE PHONE YOUR OWN GP FIRST

Phone your own General Practice (GP) Team first – if they’re not open a nurse will answer the call and direct you to the nearest GP practice that’s open.
If your own GP’s phone isn’t working please contact the Pegasus 24-hour medical centre in Bealey Avenue – 365 7777. They have a team of nurses able to provide health advice and can provide self-care advice on how to care for minor injuries and illnesses at home. They will also direct callers to the nearest medical centre.

The Pegasus 24-hour medical centre is open 24 hours 7 days per week and clinics at Moorhouse Medical Centre and the Riccarton Clinic are open from 8am to 8pm daily.

The Rural GP Practice in Kaiapoi is also providing 24-hour services to patients in Christchurch who are not able to access their own GP Teams.

Approximately 84 practices are operating now in Christchurch some with restricted hours.

Please keep Christchurch Hospital for emergencies only. If you need an ambulance, please phone 111.

LIST OF GP PRACTICES OPEN OVER THE WEEKEND OF 26 AND 27 FEBRUARY

Note: This list is subject to change. You should always phone your own GP first and if they’re not available you will be directed to the nearest GP surgery that is open.
Barrington Medical Centre Open
Christchurch South Health Centre Open
Darfield Medical Centre Limited Open
Doctors on Riccarton Sat only
Helios Integrative Medical Centre Open
Lincoln Medical Limited Sat only
Linwood Avenue Medical Centre Open
Lyttelton Health Centre Open
Methven Medical Centre Open
Moorhouse Medical Centre Open
New Brighton Health Care Open
Papanui Medical Centre Sat only
Promed Edgeware Doctors Sat only
QEII Medical Centre Sat only
Riccarton Clinic Open
Sumner Health Centre Sat only
(See list of pharmacies open at end of this update)
All rural General Practice (Banks Peninsula, Ashburton/Methven, Selwyn, Waimakariri, Hurunui/Kaikoura open as usual and busy but coping due to influx of displaced people from Christchurch .

HEALTHLINE - Phone: 0800 611 116

Healthline provides health advice 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Phone: 0800 611 116. Calls are answered by a registered nurse. Healthline uses language line and can access translators in many languages. Healthline can also transfer callers to mental health professionals for advice and support.

HEALTH CARE AT WELFARE CENTRES

St John Ambulance, Public Health Nurses and army medics are working together at Welfare Centres. The public health nurses will be working at the Welfare Centres focusing on infection control, hand hygiene and isolating any cases of suspected gastroenteritis or measles. Teams will be on site every day while the centres are open.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) Welfare Centres are currently located at:

Rangiora Baptist Church – 111 East Belt Rangiora – 64 people as at 11am Sunday
Burnside High School – corner of Memorial Avenue and Greers Rd – entrance on Greers Rd – 300 people as at 11 am Sunday
Pioneer Stadium Centre - 75 Lyttelton St Spreydon – 150 people as at 11 am Sunday
Rolleston Community Centre and the Cowles Welfare Centre are closed.
Non MSD Centres are located at:
Ashburton – 30 people as at 11 am Sunday
Rapaki – 40 people as at 11 am Sunday
Rehua Marae – 60 people as at 11 am Sunday

New Welfare Centres have also been set up at New Brighton at Roy Stokes Hall 140 Seaview Road under the guidance of the New Zealand Police and at Windsor Road Primary School run by the Red Cross.

NEW COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTRE AT COWLES STADIUM - in Pages Road open 7 days 8am – 8 pm.

The Australian Army Field Community Medical Centre began delivering primary care at Cowles Stadium to eastern suburbs residents on Saturday. The 75-bed facility, staffed by Australian clinicians with some local support from doctors and nurses is supporting General Practices in the eastern suburbs who are having difficulty delivering health services. The Centre will provide free primary care until Sunday night March 6 along with other GP Clinics in Christchurch. As at midday Sunday 27 February the Centre had treated around 170 patients. A mobile community dental clinic will also be operational on site from Monday.

LOOKING FOR AN INJURED FAMILY MEMBER WHO MAY BE IN HOSPITAL?

Relatives looking for injured family members at Christchurch Hospital should go to the Great Escape Café in the main foyer where a relative centre has been set up and there are social workers and police available. To report missing people, contact Red Cross 0800 733 276.

The relative care centre will be open Saturday and Sunday - 8am- 4.30pm at the Great Escape café. It will continue to be staffed by Social Workers.

Police will be located at the Papanui Liaison office at Papanui Police Station.

CDHB HAS SET UP A FACEBOOK PAGE FOR STAFF

Staff can keep up to date via Canterbury District Health Board’s Facebook page.

COPING STRATEGIES - STRESS AND ANXIETY

The Ministry of Health has created a series of fact sheets with advice and coping strategies for people experiencing stress or anxiety in the wake of this week's tragedy. These can be found on the Ministry's website - www.moh.govt.nz - under the banner headline "Christchurch Earthquake"

Mental Health Nurses are available to provide support in the community. Please phone your GP Team for information.

POSSIBLE PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS TO AN EARTHQUAKE - ANXIETY DISORDERS UNIT, CDHB.

We have now experienced two major earthquakes and are continuing to experience ongoing aftershocks with significant consequences for many people. Following such immensely upsetting events, people understandably feel distressed. This can last days or weeks. Allowing enough time to heal physically and mentally is important to recovery, as is support from friends and family. Some people find it helpful to talk about what has happened to them, others prefer not to discuss it. Either strategy is fine, provided you feel able to choose what you do.

The earthquakes and the ongoing aftershocks have had their effects on everyone.

It is common to experience the following responses:
• Fatigue and exhaustion particularly as time goes on.
• Feeling frightened, on edge, nervous, and tense.
• Sleep disturbance such as difficulty getting to sleep or waking often, waking early and not returning to sleep, and nightmares.
• Being easily startled and looking out for danger.
• Feeling various emotions such as fear, sadness, grief, guilt or self-blame, shame, irritability, anger or feeling numb or detached from self or others. You may also notice marked swings in your emotions.
• Anxiety symptoms like a racing heart, rapid breathing, trembling, sweating, loss of appetite and stomach upsets.
• Impaired concentration, decision making and memory which may obviously make us less productive.
• Worrying about what might have been or having to deal with real ongoing concerns.
• Feeling a sense of lack of control.
• Thoughts and memories about the event continuing to pop into your mind, even days or weeks afterwards.
• Feeling like the distressing events are happening again (i.e., flashbacks).
• Feeling disconnected from reality, like you’re in a dream.
• Increased conflict in our relationships, over-protectiveness or social withdrawal.

Reactions can be triggered by further aftershocks, images (things we read or see), and particularly sounds, smells, or movements (such as shaking or swaying) that remind you of the experience.

Usually, these reactions will gradually lessen over the following days to weeks as we make sense of what has happened.

Many people have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and other valued aspects of their lives. Grief is a normal reaction to this and can take many forms, such as distress, anger, sadness, disbelief, guilt, and helplessness. Peoples’ reactions may differ; there is no “right” way to grieve and no “right” timeframe.

It is really important to allow yourself time to work through the experience of the earthquakes. There are many different ways of coping. These may include

• Talking to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues if this feels okay for you. This may help you feel less alone and more understood, as well as, leading to offers of help. If you do not feel like talking this is okay too.
• Trying to keep a regular sleep patterns (appreciating aftershocks may be disrupting sleep at times).
• Re-establishing usual routines if and when possible (e.g., housework, meals, interacting with others, exercise).
• Eating regularly and being mindful of nutrition.
• Keep physically active which helps reduce tension and anxiety.
• Pacing yourself by keeping busy and taking time to relax.
• Try to increase positive and engaging activities by doing things you enjoy or find satisfying you will improve your mood and less time to dwell. Everyone needs some sense of satisfaction no matter how small.
• Be careful not to overwhelm yourself or your family with excessive media coverage of the events because this may increase your distress at times. This may also apply to checking earthquake activity sites on the internet.
• Setting realistic goals, if you try to behave as you did before the recent earthquake you might begin to feel overwhelmed. Allowing a bit of space to come to terms with the earthquakes is important.
• Try not to become exhausted by trying to get everything done at once. This is a big challenge and will take time.
• Remember having more than four to six cups of caffeinated drinks per day may increase your anxiety levels, and interfere with your sleep.
• Try not to increase your use of alcohol or recreational drugs. These may initially relax you, but as they withdraw from your system, they likely will increase your anxiety and affect your sleep patterns.

There is no set way of doing this. Whatever feels right for you will work best.

A common concern people will often have is the reaction of children to such events. It is important to remember that children generally are resilient.
However, younger children may still be more clingy, be experiencing bad dreams (not always just about the earthquake), loss of appetite, and may complain of physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches.

Suggestions for supporting children include the following:

• Be supportive and reassuring, your children may need to be held.
• Your child’s fears are genuine to them, this may include worries they may be separated from their parents and needing them close. Talk this through with them. Your child may want to re-enact or draw pictures about the earthquake, this is okay.
• Listen to your child’s fears and explanations about what happened.

CANTERBURY DHB STAFF ARE TO TURN UP TO WORK FOR THEIR NORMAL ROSTERED HOURS

Staff are not required to come in outside of their rostered hours. Please check with your manager what these hours are.

CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBOURS AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

At times like this it’s important to look out for elderly neighbours and others who live alone.

TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS WITH YOU

If you’re moving out of your home or leaving Christchurch remember to take your regular medications and prescriptions with you.

PHARMACIES THAT ARE OPEN TODAY – Sunday 27 February
Airport Pharmacy
Avonhead Pharmacy
Barrington Pharmacy
Bastins Pharmacy
Bush Inn Pharmacy
Dodds Pharmacy
Rangiora Pharmacy
HealthWorks Pharmacy
Hornby Unichem
Life Pharmacy Northlands
Life Pharmacy
Miles Pharmacy
Parklands
Radius Church Corner
Radius Moorhouse Avenue
Shields Pharmacy
Unichem Ashburton
Union Street Pharmacy
Urgent Pharmacy (Bealey Avenue)
Waltham Pharmacy
http://www.canterburydentists.org.nz/
ends

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