Visitor restrictions
COVID-19 visitor restrictions
- The safety of you and all patients, visitors and staff is very important.
- Restrictions means limiting the number of people in the hospital.
- This will help prevent any spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Please do not visit the hospital, outpatient clinic or community centres if you or anyone you live with:
- has a cold, diarrhoea, vomiting or any infectious condition
- is unwell
- has a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose or shortness of breath
- has lost their sense of taste or smell
- has been diagnosed with COVID-19
- is awaiting a COVID-19 test result
- is a close contact, and is not permitted to enter or remain on the premises of a high-risk facility
You may also be asked to leave while clinical and personal care procedures are being carried out.
For patient admission information, visit the For Patients section on our website.
For more information, go to Coronavirus.tas.gov.au.
Visitor changes due to COVID-19
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect you, our patients and our staff, we are limiting the number of visitors to our facilities.
Visitor restrictions
Until further notice, we ask that patients and visitors follow visiting restrictions and social distancing rules, including:
- Symptomatic visitors are not to enter the health service.
- 2 visitors at any given time with no limitations on the length of stay.
- Visiting hours are 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
- Requests for exceptions to these guidelines can be discussed with the in-charge ward nurse.
If you are an approved visitor, you must:
- Carry an approved written exemption with you when entering the service.
- Wear a mask at all times while in a clinical setting.
- Wash your hands upon entry and exit of each ward or service areas.
- Not share food.
We recommend children do not visit patients unless the patient is critically unwell.
A clinical setting is defined as, where there are patients or where patient care is provided.
Examples: clinical waiting rooms, clinic rooms/areas, inpatient wards (including all office/meeting rooms located within the ward), day treatment areas and community health visits.
Visiting hours
You may visit a patient between 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm daily.
Number of visitors
- You may be accompanied by a caregiver or support person if required however if you are independent and attending an appointment, it is recommended that the person bringing you does not attend the facility unless required.
- Two visitors per patient at any given time with no time limitations on the length of stay between the hours of 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
- Exceptions are listed below for certain wards and parts of the hospital.
Area of hospital |
Number of visitors |
---|---|
Department of Critical Care Medicine (specialist care of patients whose conditions are life-threatening) |
|
Emergency Department (part of hospital for people who have an accident or need immediate treatment) |
|
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (specialist staff and equipment to care for premature and sick newborn babies) |
|
Paediatric Unit (specialist medical care for children) |
|
Maternity Unit (specialist care for women and babies during pregnancy and childbirth) |
|
Operating Theatre and Recovery Room (rooms where surgeries happen and where patients go immediately after) |
|
Short Stay Surgical Unit (For Planned Surgery And Medical Procedures Where Patient Needs To Stay For Up To 72 Hours) |
|
Palliative Care (specialist care for a patient who is terminally ill. This means they will pass away soon.) |
|
Rules for visiting a patient
COVID-19 visitor restrictions
- Always wear a fresh surgical facemask if you are 12 or older.
- Wash your hands.
- Maintain a safe social distance from others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze and then wash and dry your hands.
Patient information shared with visitors
- Details of your illness is confidential. This means it is private.
- We will not share your personal information without you telling us it is OK. This is called giving consent.
- We may provide information to the person you tell us is your next-of-kin on your admission form.
- Next-of-kin may be your spouse, de facto partner, children or a blood relative like grandparent or sibling.
Other ways to keep in touch with a patient
- We understand that this is a very challenging time for everyone.
- You can use other ways to keep in touch like phone or text.
- You may ask the Nurse Unit Manager about a ‘compassionate exemption’ if the patient is critically unwell.
- This means we may allow you to visit under special rules.
How to call to ask about a patient
- You may call to ask about a patient between 9 am to 5 pm.
- Outside these hours, please try to not call unless it is for an urgent reason.
- The hospital phone number is 03 6166 8308.
- Please ask for the ward that the patient is in.
- To help our staff, please provide the name of one family member to be the main contact for information.
Supporting children as in-patients
- It is important to spend lots of time with your child in hospital.
- You can help your child by assisting the hospital team if they ask.
- Sometimes nurses may need to limit part of your visit during treatment. Thank you for helping us.