Hospital patients allowed one visitor at any one time in revised COVID-19 measures
The Far West LHD has revised its COVID-19 visitor arrangements at Broken Hill Health Service which will allow patients from next Wednesday (11 November 2020) to have one visitor at any one time. Previously patients were restricted to one visitor per patient per day.
'We have revised the visitor arrangements in order to streamline our concierge process and maintain COVID-19 safety measures implemented when the pandemic began,' said Mr Umit Agis, Chief Executive, Far West LHD.
'We are adhering to these measures for the protection of patients and staff, particularly patients who are acutely unwell,' said Mr Agis.
The new visitor rules come into effect on Wednesday, 11 November 2020. Visitor hours remain the same: 10am to 12noon and 5pm to 7pm each day. (Visitor hours do not impact on people with health appointments or attending the Emergency Department).
Mr Agis said it was prudent for the LHD to remain vigilant because the risk of an outbreak was still very real. 'We have been fortunate to only have two confirmed cases in the Far West (in April) but the virus is still out there.'
He also urged the public to avoid all non-essential visitors to the hospital. 'Minimising as much as we can the non-essential foot traffic through our health services will help prevent COVID-19. Also reducing the number of visitors will help when contact tracing is required in the event of an outbreak,' he said.
Visitors are also reminded to bring a mask or face covering to wear if they are coming to a Far West LHD facility, to help prevent a COVID-19 outbreak in the health service.
Wearing a mask or face covering whilst visiting a patient in a FWLHD facility is mandatory. This rule also applies to anyone attending a medical appointment in a FWLHD health service.
To help the health service in the management of its supply of mask for use by staff and patients, people are asked to bring their own when visiting.
Bringing your own mask or face covering will help us manage our own supplies, particularly for our clinical areas within the health services.
The COVID-19 arrangements in Far West LHD remain in place indefinitely at this stage and are being constantly reviewed by Far West LHD Executive.
Other measures remain in place:
- Adults attending outpatient appointments will be allowed 1 companion person to attend their appointment with them.
- Children who are admitted to hospital or attending an appointment may still be accompanied by 2 adult carers.
- Children are not permitted as visitors.
- Anyone coming to the Emergency Department are asked to abide by social distancing requirements for protection of patients and staff, and follow new restrictions on accompanying people:
- All patients are asked to come alone to the ED if they can.
- An elderly/infirm patient can attend with one support person.
- A child can have one support person.
- There will be limited seating in the ED waiting room, as seating has been re-arranged to accommodate social distancing requirements. Some patients may have to wait outside the ED (in hospital foyer) before being treated.
- Only one support person will be allowed bedside for the patient inside the ED.
- In the Maternity Ward, one companion is allowed at out-patient appointments (i.e. antenatal and postnatal visits).
- Two support people during labour and birth
- One visitor at a time on the maternity ward for maximum 30 mins each (not incl. partners)
- No visitors under the age of 18 years old on the Maternity Ward
- Please avoid bringing children to your appointments if possible
For details about each ward and department within the hospital, please call them via the hospital switch on +61 8 8080 1333.
Please help us do everything possible to protect our patients by following these guidelines until further notice.
For more information about COVID-19 please call the National Coronavirus Helpline on +61 1800 020 080 or healthdirect on +61 1800 022 222.