General News
22 April, 2022
Hospital visitor restrictions ease
Grampians Health, Horsham and Dimboola campuses, are adjusting visitor rules in line with the easing of restrictions across Victoria.
GRAMPIANS Health, Horsham and Dimboola campuses, are adjusting visitor rules in line with the easing of restrictions across Victoria.
From Saturday, April 23, inpatients (patients who have been admitted to a hospital ward) across Grampians Health Stawell, Horsham and Dimboola will be permitted a maximum of two visitors per day, for up to two hours each during visiting hours between 2pm and 8pm.
Visitors are not permitted to enter quarantine or isolation areas, including dedicated COVID-19 and respiratory wards.
Given that COVID-19 remains active in the community, some areas may also need to limit visitors at short notice.
Please also check with the ward each day that you intend to visit to ensure that visitors are permitted on that day; this can be done by calling reception at the relevant campus.
All visitors are required to check in with a QR code and undergo entrance screening and must wear a mask provided by Grampians Health.
Visitors who are not fully vaccinated will be required to wear an N95 mask to be permitted on site.
To keep patients, clients and staff safe during this time, Grampians Health is asking members of the community to think carefully about their need to visit a Grampians Health site.
There is no change to visitor restrictions in Aged Care facilities at this time.
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Grampians Health interim chief people officer Claire Woods said she welcomed the change to visitor restrictions.
“Visitors make a big difference for our patients, residents and clients – and for our staff too,” she said.
“We know the difference having visitors can make for our patients and the weight this will take off our staff who have been doing their jobs while also giving additional support to fill the gaps that not having visitors has made for many.
“These changes to visitor restrictions are the first step for Grampians Health following the Premier’s announcement earlier this week and we’ll continue to work through and announce further changes as is safe, given the changing level of COVID across our region.
“Unfortunately, COVID is still in the community and this means that we can’t have everyone on site at once, so we’re asking our community to coordinate so that visits are shared and respectful to others in the ward or visiting area.”