VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital. 

Last updated:
31 October 2024

Some visitor restrictions for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and we encourage all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people are advised to not visit our facilities if they are unwell. We advise that you do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are encouraged to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Please practice hand hygiene with provided alcohol-based hand rub/gel

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear a surgical mask as a minimum – please use surgical masks provided.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours.

All visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers can be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where visitor restrictions might apply.

Patients and visitors can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

The End of Life Choice Act 2019 and the Assisted Dying Service

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  4. The End of Life Choice Act 2019 and the Assisted Dying Service

The Ministry of Health is responsible for implementing the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (the Act). This includes making any regulations, developing policy, and providing guidance to the health sector.

This is to ensure a nationally consistent approach and equity, regardless of location.

More information can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website End of Life Choice Act 2019

Clinicians who work for Canterbury DHB or the West Coast DHB will not be taking on positions as Attending Medical Practitioner, Independent Medical Practitioner or Psychiatrist Providing a Competency Assessment as part of implementing the Assisted Dying Service within DHB time.

Clinicians with appropriate skills or qualifications can, however, voluntarily offer to provide parts of the service in a private capacity. They would do this by applying to be on the SCENZ register. Support and Consultation for End of Life in New Zealand (SCENZ) is the national statutory body, established under the Act to facilitate the implementation of an assisted dying service.

If a DHB clinician is asked about assisted dying by someone who is terminally ill they will provide information to enable that person to contact SCENZ for more information.

Other useful information for the public can be found on the Ministry of Health website:

Page last updated: 1 November 2021

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