Key Messages from Canterbury District Health Board

Issued 28 February 2011

Community and primary health services across Canterbury are coping well and improving each day. General practice teams continue to be the first point of contact for the Canterbury community.

General health concerns – Canterbury Residents

• Most general practice teams across Canterbury are open. If you cannot contact your usual practice, please call 365 7777. If you do not have a general practitioner (GP/doctor) please contact 365 7777.
• If you have urgent medical needs, you can visit a general practice free of charge until the end of Sunday March 6th.
• For routine health concerns, visit your general practice team as usual.
• For new emergencies and life threatening conditions, ring 111.

Emotional responses to the recent crisis

• It’s normal to be feeling very stressed at the moment. Everyone is affected in different ways. Some of us may feel very anxious or low in spirits. Some of us may feel it’s hard to function.
• If you are worried about yourself or a family member, please talk to someone in your general practice team. They can call on a wide range of mental health and counselling services, and more counsellors are being brought in to help.

Medications

• If you are already taking medication, it is important to keep taking it.
• Most Canterbury pharmacies are open, so if you are running low on your regular medications, you should visit your usual pharmacy if it is open. They will dispense your medications without a prescription for a further seven days.
• If you cannot go to your usual pharmacy or are out of Christchurch, please take your medication containers and some personal identification (e.g., your driver’s licence) to a nearby pharmacy. If the pharmacy or doctor cannot establish exactly what you need, they will not be able to give it to you, so please make sure you have the exact details.
• If you are on a hospital-based medication to assist your mental health, please contact your case manager or psychiatric district nurse. If you cannot contact these people, please ring 364 0482.
• If you use items such as bandages or syringes that you usually purchase from your pharmacy, continue to get these from your pharmacist.

Medical equipment issues

• Home oxygen or Bi-Pap machines: If you are using a breathing device such as an oxygen concentrator or Bi-Pap machine, and your power supply is interrupted, find an alternative power source if at all possible. If you cannot find a power source, do not call 111 unless your breathing is severely distressing. Call Cardio/Respiratory Outreach during work hours – (03) 364 0167. If your call is not answered, leave a detailed message. Your call will be attended to as soon as possible. If it is after hours please call (03) 364 0640.
• Other medical equipment: If you are using medical equipment such as a nebuliser or sleep apnoea machine (e.g. a CPAP machine) that requires power or running water, and these are not available in your home, please go to your nearest welfare centre.

David Meates, CEO Canterbury District Health Board

Public Health Messages

• Boil or treat all water from taps and tankers before drinking, brushing teeth, or using in food preparation. Adding household bleach (1 teaspoon of bleach per 10 litres of water) and leaving for 30 minutes before drinking will effectively treat water. The City Council will advise when it is no longer necessary to boil or treat tap water.
• Take care when disposing of human waste (faeces, poo, vomit etc). 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.
• If you are concerned about the level of dust and other pollutants in the air, wear an appropriate dust mask to protect your lungs. Masks are available from hardware stores and pharmacies.
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after toileting, and before and after eating or preparing food. Hand sanitizer is available from official water tanker sites.
• If you are sick, try to limit contact with other people, do not go to work and do not prepare food for anyone.
• Avoid contact with sewage by avoiding contact with rivers, sea water, ponds, puddles or other surface water. Seek alternative accommodation if your home has sewage contamination.
• Take extreme care with food – particularly with food that should be refrigerated or as food defrosts. Dispose of smelly, slimy, mouldy or discoloured food immediately. Do not refreeze food once power returns.