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Elective surgery restrictions

Elective surgery restrictions will be in place across all Victorian health services, including Epworth hospitals, from Thursday, 14 October 2021, in line with Department of Health directions.

Under these directions, only emergency and urgent cases (Category 1 and urgent Category 2a) procedures can be performed at this time.

Cases already booked until, and including, Thursday, 14 October 2021 will proceed. Existing cases booked from Friday, 15 October 2021 onwards must be reviewed. Please contact your treating doctor.

Protocols for pre-admission/surgery testing remain unchanged. Testing requirements ahead of your surgery remain in place. If you have any questions about your care, please contact your treating doctor.

Daily Attestations and QR Codes

Upon entering our sites, patients, visitors and contractors will be required to scan both the Service Victoria QR code and Epworth attestation QR code, on the designated poster at entry points.

It is important that Epworth is able to retain a connection to the Victorian Department of Health QR code system to ensure we will be contacted if any of our patients, visitors or contractors have been to a Tier 1 exposure site, prior to visiting Epworth.

If you are unable to register with a mobile device, please ensure you complete a manual check in. Our staff at any of our entry points will assist you.

We appreciate your understanding, as we continue to ensure we keep our patients, employees and doctors safe.

Pre-operative COVID-19 testing update - 26 August 2021

To minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the Department of Health (DH) has issued a directive to screen all patients admitted from Monday, 30 August 2021.

This includes:

  • All elective surgery
  • All procedures including those performed under local anaesthetic
  • All planned elective medical admissions including mental health and rehabilitation
  • ECT
  • All direct-to-ward admissions
  • All interhospital transfers
  • Elective caesarean sections and all other maternity admissions (including natural delivery)
  • Paediatric admissions.

Patients will be required to return a negative swab result within 72 hours of their admission to hospital. Therefore, swab testing MUST be arranged 48 -72 hours prior to admission.

If you have any questions, please speak to your treating doctor about your individual requirements.

Getting your pre-operative COVID-19 test

A negative result is required for all admissions from Monday, 30 August 2021 onwards, with COVID-19 testing to occur 48 - 72 hours prior to the planned procedure. Patients will need to isolate from the time of testing until they are admitted for their procedure.

All patients are strongly encouraged to attend a testing centre closest to them to have their test.

Melbourne Pathology (MPS) has several available collection sites for pre-operative (ASYMPTOMATIC) patients. Please see the following link: MPS: Testing of asymptomatic pre-operative patients

In addition, Melbourne Pathology (MPS) has three dedicated ‘drive-through’ testing sites that patients can attend with the complete request form: MPS COVID-19 dedicated collection sites

If it is not possible to attend your local testing centre, patients can attend Epworth Testing Clinics located at:

  • Epworth Richmond:

    • Patient Swabbing Clinic
    34 Erin St – entrance is 10 metres from Emergency Department entry
    Open 8am to 4pm, 7 days a week 
    Last booking appointment is 3.45pm daily
    Bookings required phone: 03 9426 0666

  • Epworth Freemasons:

    • Grey St carpark on Level B1
    Open 9am to 4pm, Monday - Friday
    Bookings required phone: 03 9426 0666

  • Epworth Eastern:

    • Drive through pre-operative COVID-19 Testing Clinic
    Main carpark of Salvation Army building, access via 17 Bank St Box Hill
    Open 8am to 6pm, Monday - Saturday
    Bookings required phone: 03 8807 7811

Isolating after testing

It is important that patients self-isolate after their test, until the time of their admission to hospital (no matter what the test results are).

Please don’t put yourself and others at risk by going to work, school or public places, unless you need medical help or in an emergency.

If you are unable to self-isolate prior to your admission to hospital, please discuss your situation immediately with your specialist.

If you are dependent on a carer, your carer should also get tested and then isolate with you, prior to your admission to hospital.

We advise against using public transport, taxis or Ubers during your isolation. If you have no alternative transport options, please wear a mask.

You can find more details about isolating at: Isolating before your surgery (PDF, 50KB)

Telehealth

Outpatient appointments for rehabilitation and mental health services will move to telehealth from Wednesday, 25 August 2021. Some of our acute clinics will also hold telehealth appointments, where possible.

Visitor restrictions

  • Visitors are not permitted into any of our hospitals, unless for exceptional circumstances. This is in line with the restrictions and guidelines issued by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer

Exceptions apply for:

  • those visiting critical or palliative patients. In these cases, two visitors are permitted at a time. They do not have to be from the same household and there are no time limits.
  • in our maternity units:
    • One person is allowed in our birth suites (a support person or partner). Support people cannot be swapped and this designated person must have undertaken a COVID-19 test and isolate as directed.
    • One partner/support person is allowed in the postnatal ward for the duration of the patient's stay.
    • Two parents are permitted in the special care nursery.
  • those supporting patients with cognitive impairment.
  • providing support necessary for a patient's emotional or physical wellbeing.
  • if they are the parent or carer of a paediatric patient.
  • a nominated person under the Mental Health Act, interpreter or carer of a patient with a disability.
  • if necessary, visitors are also permitted to accompany a patient attending Emergency or outpatient clinic.
  • those in a group visiting in exceptional circumstances may exceed the 'two visitors at a time' rule if they are dependants of a visitor (or hospital patient) who are unable to be cared for elsewhere.

Non-essential visits should not take place at this time.

We encourage loved ones of our patients to keep in contact with them via phone and via skype to provide support.

Outpatients and day programs

Services are continuing as normal and in accordance with COVID safe protocols and policies.

Before visiting our hospitals, please regularly check the exposure sites listed. If you have visited an exposure site in the times mentioned, it is essential to get tested and follow quarantine advice.

Even if you have not been to an exposure site, it is essential to get tested immediately if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills or sweats or change in sense of smell or taste.

COVID-19 - Permit zones

The Victorian government introduced a permit system for anyone re-entering Victoria. Epworth patients and visitors will need to adhere to the ruling of the zone from where they have travelled. The requirements fall under three zones:

  • Red zone: those who have travelled to a designated red zone are not permitted to enter Victoria without an exemption, permitted worker permit or exception.
  • Orange zone: anyone who has been in an orange zone must self-isolate, get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Patients must receive a negative result prior to admission.
  • Green zone: no requirements, other than monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately, if symptoms appear.

The map showing Australia’s different zones can be found here.

As a precaution, anyone who has visited a red zone or high risk exposure site in Australia, should get tested and receive a negative result before entering our hospitals.

For the latest case locations and outbreaks, please visit the DH website.

Wearing masks

  • Anyone entering our sites will need to wear a mask upon arrival, register their attendance and complete an attestation.
  • Patients who are already in our hospitals will wear masks, based on clinical circumstances.
  • Patients and visitors must change into a hospital provided mask when entering the hospital.
  • Anyone who may have a mask exemption is advised to bring their exemption to show entry staff. We ask for your cooperation with any requests made by our entry staff.

To help slow the spread of COVID-19 and stay safe, regularly wash your hands, keep at least 1.5 metres from other people, and stay home if you feel unwell.

If you have any symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulties or wheezing or any other signs of respiratory infection, however mild, seek advice and get tested.

For more information about COVID-19 go to the Victorian Department of Health.

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