Canterbury DHB makes changes to visiting at its facilities

Canterbury DHB makes changes to visiting at its facilities under Delta Alert Level 2

Dr Helen Skinner, Canterbury DHB Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) Controller:

Following New Zealand (apart from the greater Auckland region) moving to ‘COVID-19 Delta Alert Level 2’, Canterbury DHB has made changes to its visitor restrictions – effective tomorrow, 8 September.

Under Delta Alert Level 2 visitor access for all Canterbury DHB health facilities will continue to be restricted. Please remember, limiting our interactions with others is our best defence against COVID-19.

Please don’t visit the hospital if you don’t need to.

The following visitor restrictions are in place for all Canterbury DHB hospitals and health facilities:

• All visitors need to scan in or sign in on arrival and provide their contact details – if you’re using the government’s COVID-19 Tracer App please ensure Bluetooth tracing is turned on
• All visitors must wear a mask or fabric face covering – please bring your own
• All visitors are expected to practice safe physical distancing. You should remain two metres away from people you don’t know
• Visitors who are unwell should not be entering our facilities
• Everyone, including visitors should practise good hand hygiene.

There is further guidance and restrictions in place at individual facilities as follows.

Christchurch Hospital

• Visiting hours for Christchurch Hospital are from 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
• For children, parents/caregivers can visit at any time, and both parents/caregivers can visit at the same time
• 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.

Christchurch Outpatients

• Due to the ongoing need to maintain physical distancing, support people will only be allowed at Christchurch Outpatients by exception only
• If you need a support person with you at your appointment, please call the number on your outpatient appointment letter to arrange this
• Some outpatient appointments will continue to be carried out ‘virtually’ either over the phone, or by a video/zoom call.

Burwood Hospital

• 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
• 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 ward’s Charge Nurse Manager to discuss, or the Duty Nurse Manager after hours.

Christchurch Women’s Hospital/Rangiora Health Hub maternity/Lincoln Maternity/Ashburton Maternity

• 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 may accompany this person as long as they are well
• 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 also following the same guidelines.

Specialist Mental Health Services at Hillmorton campus & The Princess Margaret Hospital site

• 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.

Ashburton Hospital

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

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

• To ensure the safety of patients, all of whom are aged over 65, visitors to the Aged Residential Care part of this facility 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.

Park and Ride

The hospital shuttle service from the Deans Ave car park is running as normal:

• 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 allow for physical distancing
• It is mandatory to wear masks or face coverings on public transport at Delta Alert Level 2, with some exceptions to face covering requirements. You are encouraged to bring your own mask or face covering for the trip from the car park to your appointment.

Full details of further changes to visiting at other Canterbury DHB facilities, including cafés will be available on our website tonight.

As always, please don’t visit if you’re unwell and remember the usual public health precautions such as hand hygiene and physical distancing (wherever possible stay two metres away from people you don’t know, and one metre away from people you do know).

If you have COVID-19 symptoms (at least one of the following symptoms: new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, stuffy or runny nose, lost sense of smell – with or without a fever) you should contact your General Practice team or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

Most GP teams are offering testing if you have these symptoms. If you have symptoms and are not registered with a GP team you can attend a testing centre (which you do not need an appointment to attend).

If you are unwell and need to see a doctor you should call your usual GP team for advice 24/7. For general health information visit www.healthinfo.org.nz.

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