Hospitals and community centres

On this page

• General entry requirements
• Visiting hours
• Specific entry requirements for patient care areas
• Special considerations
• COVID positive patients
• Caregivers

Please continue to seek medical attention when required or dial 000 in an emergency.

General entry requirements

We have eased our visiting rules, but as COVID is still a threat to our community, some COVID Safe measures remain in place.

In patient care areas

• All people 8 years and older are required to wear a surgical mask.

In the emergency departments

• All people 8 years and older are required to wear a surgical mask as a minimum. Visitors and carers who are with a patient who is in airborne precautions are required to wear an N95 mask. For clarity, if visitors or carers are with a patient with or suspected to have COVID-19, they are required to wear an N95 mask.

In public spaces

• Masks are now optional for public spaces and non-clinical areas. Non-clinical areas include shared corridors, retail, café and dining areas.

People who are unable to wear a mask will only be able to enter patient care areas and emergency departments under exceptional circumstances e.g., at the end of life, for a patient with special needs, or where a carer is staying overnight with a patient. Unless specifically authorised by the treating team, visitors may not remove masks or other personal protective equipment while visiting COVID-19 positive patients.

You will not be able to visit if you:

• are unwell with any COVID-19, gastroenteritis or flu like symptoms e.g., running nose, fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhoea.
• are awaiting a COVID-19 test result.
• have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 in the past seven days (unless wearing appropriate PPE).
• test positive with COVID-19 you are unable to visit until day 7 and asymptomatic.

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Visiting Hours

All visits must occur within visiting hours (10am to 8pm) unless specified otherwise.

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Specific entry requirements for patient care areas

Adult Inpatients (not ICU)

• Two visitors per patient per day, visiting for an unlimited time but within designated visiting hours (may require local adjustment based on density requirements). 
• One carer/support person may stay overnight in exceptional circumstances (at the discretion of the local management team). 

Adult ICU

• Two visitors per patient per day, for a maximum of one hour per visit (i.e., two people may visit for one hour each).

Emergency Department

• Adults – Patients may attend with one support person. Adults with special care needs may have two support people.
• Children (under 18 years) may have up to two support people.

Specialty Consulting / Imaging / Community appointments

• Two people may accompany an adult or child attending an appointment.
• Children of a patient may attend only in exceptional circumstances, e.g. if no other care option is available.

Pregnancy appointments

• One person may attend with a patient.
• Children of a patient may attend only in exceptional circumstances, e.g. if no other care option is available.

Birth Suite

• Two people may accompany a patient.

Maternity Wards

• One designated partner/support person may visit anytime between 8am and 8pm.
• Siblings may visit if accompanied by an adult.
• Patients can have two visitors per day, visiting one at a time, but within designated visiting hours and within appropriate density limits.

Newborn (NICU and SCN)

• Two parents/guardians may be with their baby
• One parent/guardian may stay overnight
• Up to two additional visitors may visit per day for a maximum of one hour each visit (i.e. two people may visit for one hour each)
• Siblings of patients may visit
• The number at the cot side cannot exceed two, and one must be a parent/guardian

Children (under 18yrs) General and PICU:

• Two parents, guardians or caregivers may be with the child.
• One parent or guardian may stay overnight.
• Up to two additional visitors may visit per day for a maximum of one hour each visit (i.e., two people may visit for one hour each).
• Siblings of patient may visit during visiting hours
• The number at the bedside cannot exceed two
• Day Wards (Children’s Cancer Centre and Lagoon): – Two parents, guardians or caregivers may be with an inpatient child only.

Mental health: Child/Adolescent/Mother/Baby:

• One parent/guardian/caregiver may visit during the day when this does not contravene the individual’s treatment plan.

Mental Health Adult:

• Two visitors per patient per day visiting one at a time, for time period specified by local health service but within designated visiting hours (local adjustment based on density requirements). 

Mental Health Secure Extended Care Unit (SECU UNIT 4):

• Please contact the unit directly to arrange visits.

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Special considerations

Special considerations are in place for end of life, where there is a high risk of death in relation to impending treatment or surgery, or where a patient’s condition has been assessed as unstable or deteriorating.

• Two visitors at a time may be with the patient 0800-2000 and outside these times by arrangement with the unit.
• The unit will facilitate all reasonable visitor attendance.

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COVID Positive patients

COVID positive patients may have visitors. Visits must be arranged with the local care team before attending.

Visitors must strictly adhere to PPE requirements as advised by the local care team. If you cannot wear a mask, you will not be able to visit.

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Caregivers

Patients with special needs, e.g., disability, delirium, dementia, patients who require carer support, patients requiring language support, and visitors who need to learn home care needs.

• These patients may have a carer with them at all appropriate hours, including overnight, if arranged with the ward/unit.
• This carer will not be counted as one of the total visitor numbers for the day (i.e., the patient may have a further two visitors), but the total visitors at the bedside at any time will not exceed two.

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