EARTHQUAKE UPDATE TWELVE – CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

Please attribute to Canterbury District Health Board Chief Executive David Meates:

MIDWIVES NEEDED

Midwives are needed to assist with maternity care in Christchurch. If you are a midwife and are able to help please e mail cdhb.eoc.staffing@gmail.com.

BOIL ALL WATER UNLESS IT’S BOTTLED

Public Health leaflets and hand-sanitisers are being distributed at water tanker depots and welfare centres.

All water should be boiled – unless it’s been bought in a sealed bottle -- that includes water from water tankers at refill stations. Hand-sanitisers have been ordered and are expected to be available from water stations. “We’re doing everything we can to minimise the risk of gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhoea). Washing hands and boiling water are two of the most important things people must remember to do.”

MEDIA ARE NOT TO ACCESS CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL OR STAFF WITHOUT PERMISSION

All media queries must be directed to the CDHB Strategic Communications Team. Please phone (03) 337 7390, or 027 502 7523/ 027 531 4796.

NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT COWLES STADIUM

An Australian Army field community medical centre has been set up at Cowles Stadium (Saturday 26 February).The 75-bed facility will be staffed by Australian clinicians including six emergency department doctors, 13 nurses, general surgery staff, orthopaedic staff, general trauma, anaesthetists and support staff.  It will operate as a Primary Health Centre to support General Practices in the eastern suburbs who are having difficulty delivering health services. The Centre will provide free primary care until Sunday night along with other GP Clinics in Christchurch.  The Centre will have capacity to manage expected outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the eastern suburbs. Members of the public who suspect they are suffering from gastroenteritis are urged to go to the Field hospital for treatment. A mobile community dental clinic will also be operational from Monday.

The Community Health Centre is located in Pages Road and will be open 7 days 8am – 8 pm.

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 in Bealey Avenue is open after-hours 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.
FREE GP CARE HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL SUNDAY

Canterbury residents with urgent medical needs can visit a GP free of charge until Sunday.

PRESCRIPTIONS FEES WAIVED UNTIL SUNDAY

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

REST HOME RESIDENTS BEING RELOCATED

More rest home residents are being relocated today.  Seventy Five (75) were being transferred yesterday. 17 to Timaru and 29 to Oamaru with the rest going further afield. A further 65 are likely to be relocated today.

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

Family members and friends are requested not to take attempt to relocate residents to other rest homes themselves. Rest home residents, when required, are being relocated through the CDHB.
Many rest homes need logistical help especially with practical things like, water and laundry.

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

Rest home staff are doing an amazing job keeping their residents safe and well looked after despite the trying circumstances. Staff who have been freed up with the transfer of residents elsewhere are likely to be redeployed and allocated to operating homes in Christchurch.
 
HEALTH CARE AT WELFARE CENTRES     
             
St John Ambulance, Public Health Nurses and army medics are working together at Welfare Centres.
A team of 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.

The Cowles Centre was closed yesterday to alleviate concerns with sanitation and hygiene with 60 people moving to Rangiora and the rest likely to go the new Rolleston Community Centre today. Rolleston has the capacity to take 1000 people.  It has improved facilities and has all services up and running including sanitation and power.

A Welfare Centre has also been set up at New Brighton under the guidance of the New Zealand Police.
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Army medics and St John Ambulance staff will also be present at each welfare centre.
Centres are currently located at:
Rangiora Baptist Church
Burnside High School
Rolleston Community Centre

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. 

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL IS OPERATIONAL

Hospital services are continuing to provide care for hundreds of inpatients. Staff are doing a remarkable job considering everyone has been affected by the quake. All hospital buildings are constantly being checked for damage by structural engineers. Patient volumes have been steady.

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.

Maternity services continue to be busy, as is the neonatal intensive care unit.  Babies continue to be transferred to other units around the country.  There are currently 76 in-patients at the Women’s Hospital.

Orthopaedics and Cardiology services also remain busy.  The emergency department is steady at the moment and managing the workload very well.  

There are currently 293 in-patients of which 10 remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

OUTPATIENT SERVICES AT CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL

All orthopaedic fracture follow-up clinics at Christchurch Hospital are continuing as normally scheduled.
Patients with elective outpatient clinic appointments for non-acute problems will be contacted by CDHB.

General Practitioners (GPs) will continue to refer patients for specialist assessment on the basis of clinical need, recognising CDHB’s limited resources.

Paediatric clinics are closed for the rest of the week.

Community Oncology – Oncology Clinics will be starting on Monday. Try and have your clinic appointment letter with you to enable you to get through the cordon.

The Diabetes Centre is closed until further notice.  The CDHB diabetes team are offering a semi-acute service and will be working out of Parkside Outpatients.  Please send any urgent referrals you may have to Fax number 3640419, attn Diabetes

Emergency Adult Dental Services. The oral health emergency centre has been relocated to Hillmorton. This is a Monday to Friday service only. For appointments Ph 3354260.

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.
LIST OF GP PRACTICES OPEN (As at 25 February 2011)

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’s open.

Amberley Medical Centre
open
Amyes Road Surgery
open
Avonhead Surgery (Davey)
open
Avonhead Surgery (Shand)
open
Barrington Medical Centre
open
Belfast Medical Centre
open
Belfast North MEDIQUAL Doctors
open
Bishopdale Medical Clinic
open
Bryndwr Medical Rooms
open
Cashmere Medical Practice
open (limited hours)
Cashmere Health & Physiotherapy
open
Clyde Road Surgery
Cranford Street Medical Practice
open
open
Darfield Medical Centre Limited
open
Doctors on Riccarton
open
Eastcare Health
open
Fendalton Medical Centre
open
Ferry Road Medical Centre
open
Grahams Road Surgery
open
Greers Road Medical Centre
open
Halswellhealth
open
Harewood Medical Centre
open
Helios Integrative Medical Centre
open
Hillmorton Medical Centre
open
Hoon Hay Medical Centre
open
Hornby Medical Centre
open
Hornby Surgery
open
Isbell Medical Practice Limited
open (limited  hours)
Innes Road Medical Rooms
open
Kendal Medical Centre
Kingdom Clinic
open
open
Leeston Medical Centre
open
Lincoln Medical Limited
open
Lincoln Road Medical Practice
Lincoln University Student health
open
open
Linwood Avenue Medical Centre
open
Lyttelton Surgery
open
Main North Road Medical Centre
open
Mairehau Medical Centre
limited, doing house calls
Mansfield Health Practice

Merivale Medical Practice
open
Moorhouse Medical Centre
open
Mt Pleasant Medical Centre
open
New Brighton Health Care
open  ( combined with New Brighton Village Health)

Normans Road Surgery
open
North Avon Medical Centre
open
Opawa Surgery
open (limited hours)
Parklands Medical Centre
limited
Papanui Medical Centre
Piki Te Ora
open
Limited (urgent cases)
Prestons Road Surgery
open
Promed Edgeware Doctors
open
QE2 Medical Centre
limited
Redcliffs Medical Centre
open
Redwood Clinic
open
Riccarton Medical Practice
open
Roimata Medical Practice
Rolleston Medical Centre
open
open
Selwyn Street Medical Centre
open
Settlers Health Centre
limited
Somerfield Medical Centre
limited
St Albans Medical Centre
open
Sumner Health Centre
St Martins Med Practice
open
open
Straven Medical Rooms
Sumner Health Centre
open
open
Travis Medical Centre
open
Te Rawhiti Family Care
open
Templeton Medical Centre
open
The Surgery
open
Upper Riccarton Medical Centre (Taylor/Olds)
open
Upper Riccarton Medical Centre (HuntWheeler)
open
Union and Community Health Centre
open
Waimairi Road Medical Rooms
open
Waltham Medical Centre
open
Wainoni Medical Centre
open limited hours
Woodham Road Health Care
open
Yaldhurst Family Doctors
open

DIABETES

The Diabetes Centre is closed until further notice.  The CDHB diabetes team are offering a semi-acute 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 are unable to access their GP can phone 364 0640 to be put in touch with a diabetes triage nurse who is available 8am to 5pm only.  If outside these hours contact the Bealey Ave 24-hour medical centre.

HEALTHLINE

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.

GPs WANTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WAIVED FEES

Should phone 353 9966 (Pegasus)

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.

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