Visiting Monash Health

Learn more about visiting Monash Health.

Visiting hours

Visiting hours are from 8 am to 8 pm unless specified otherwise.

Guidelines for visiting

The following general guidelines apply to most areas within Monash Health:

• Two visitors are permitted at any one time (or as agreed with the nurse or midwife in charge of the ward per individual patient needs).
• Visitors can visit for any length of time during visiting hours unless a patient’s clinical team advises otherwise.
• Visiting hours will be from 8 am to 8 pm. Visits outside these times are by arrangement only.
• Consumers have the right to determine who may visit them and when they want to receive visitors, including the option to request no visitors.
• The number of children at the bedside may be limited according to local conditions as directed by the nurse or midwife in charge.
• Our teams are aware that consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and/or with special needs may have different needs regarding visiting hours and the role of their support persons. We will do our best to be responsive and flexible to these needs, acknowledging the important role that family and carers play for some of our patients.
• Where patients are unable to receive visitors in person, we encourage virtual visiting.
• Face masks are optional within public spaces, clinical areas and the Emergency Department unless otherwise directed.

Specialty areas

In addition to the above, the following area-specific guidelines apply:

• Mental health: Visits to take place by appointment only from 9 am to 9 pm daily excluding the Oasis Ward, which has visiting times of 10 am to 7 pm.
• Monash Children’s Hospital patients: a parent or guardian may stay overnight with a patient under 18 years of age.
• Residential services and aged care: Our facilities are the resident’s home and we welcome their visitors as they would in their own home.
• Specialist consulting and diagnostic imaging: Up to two people may accompany a patient to an appointment. Siblings of children who are attending an appointment may also attend if alternative arrangements cannot be made.

Privacy

Visitors must be respectful of the patient, other patients, visitors and employees.

There may be times when visitors will be asked to leave the patient to enable employees to attend to a patient’s care or to provide appropriate patient privacy. Visitors will be advised when they can return to the ward/unit.

Photography, filming or recording in hospital

As a patient or visitor to Monash Health, you can photograph, film or record yourself or your loved ones with their express consent (this means that they have provided permission to you either verbally or in writing, or that you have the legal authority to provide permission on their behalf) as long as you do not photograph, film or record any other patient, visitor, employee or volunteer without their permission.   

If you would like to take a photo or video that includes members of our team, you must first ask them for their permission. Sharing photos or videos of a patient or employee who has not consented (or cannot consent) may have privacy implications or carry criminal charges. Please always ask us first. An employee, visitor or patient who did not consent to being recorded, filmed or photographed can ask for footage of them to be deleted or destroyed.  

Photographs, filming or recording can interfere with the patient’s clinical care and breach the privacy of patients, visitors, or employees. Even if you have been granted permission to film or photograph, our team can ask you to stop at any time.  

Learn more:  

• Your rights and responsibilities   
• Victorian Surveillance Device Act 1999  
• Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014  

Visiting safely

Visitors are asked to sanitise their hands before and after spending time with a patient. Please use the hand sanitiser provided. Face masks are optional within public spaces, clinical areas and the Emergency Department unless otherwise directed.

Visitors who feel unwell or who have experienced fever/chills, sore throat, cough, vomiting or diarrhoea in the previous 48 hours are asked not to visit until they are well.

For information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) please refer to our South East Public Health Unit website.

Pharmaceutical and industry visitors

Pharmaceutical and medical industry visitors may visit Monash Health sites.

Visitor car parking

Onsite visitor car parking is available at our major hospitals 24 hours a day. Learn more here.

Behavioural expectations

Patients, support persons, visitors and employees have the right to feel emotionally and physically safe, to be listened to, and to be treated with respect and dignity. It is a requirement that patients, support persons, visitors and employees behave in accordance with community and legal expectations.

The following behaviours are not acceptable and will not be tolerated:

• Aggressive behaviour, harassment and intimidation
• Threatening language towards patients, support person(s), visitors or staff
• Physical attacks to people or property
• Obscene, racist, sexist or demeaning language

Consideration should be given to keeping noise at a minimum, so please use radios, televisions, mobile phones, etc quietly.

For more information on visiting at Monash Health please contact Patient Enquiries