VISITOR restrictions in hospitals will ease across Grampians Health service, with the exception of Ballarat Base Hospital.
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From Saturday, April 23, inpatients at Wimmera Base Hospital, Stawell Regional Health, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital and Dimboola Hospital will be permitted a maximum of two visitors per day, for up to two hours each during visitor hours.
Patients, families and friends are asked to coordinate their visits to ensure they are adhering to restrictions and that there are no more than two visitors a day.
There will however be no change to visitor restrictions at Grampians Health aged care facilities.
Grampians Health interim chief people officer Claire Woods welcomed the change to visitor restrictions.
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"Visitors make a big difference for our patients, residents and clients - and for our staff too," Ms Woods 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."
Visitors are not permitted to enter quarantine or isolation areas, including dedicated COVID-19 and respiratory wards.
Given that COVID remains active in the community, some areas may also need to limit visitors at short notice.
Visitors were also asked to check with the ward each day that they intend to visit to ensure that visitors are permitted on that day; this can be done by calling reception the Grampians Health site you intend to visit.
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 in order to be permitted on site.
Ballarat Base Hospital will maintain visitor restrictions, due to the declaration of a Code Yellow alert.
