Visiting Hours

Please note temporary changes to visiting restrictions at GV Health due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in Shepparton have been introduced, effective immediately.

These requirements are in place to provide additional safety measures for patients, clients, residents, consumers and staff in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Requirements

Visitors to patients, residents, clients and consumers are only able to occur for the reasons specified in the points below and are restricted to one visitor at one time, with no more than one visitor per day:

  • To provide essential care or support for people living with mental health conditions or dementia
  • Is the parent, carer or guardian of a person under the age of 18
  • As a nominated person (as defined in the Mental Health Act 2014)
  • As an interpreter or to provide language support
  • To learn to support the patient/resident/client’s care upon discharge
  • As the partner or support person of a patient in maternity care or pregnancy
  • To accompany a patient in the emergency department
  • Is immediate family (including kinship) of a patient with life-threatening condition
  • Visitors do not have to be from the same household
  • There are no time limits for visitors noting that visiting hours are required to be adhered to (refer to visiting hours below)

End of Life Visits

Patients/residents are restricted to two visitors at one time for the purpose of end of life visits as
specified in the points below:

  • End of life means where a resident’s death is expected within 28 days or less.
  • Visitors do not have to be from the same household
  • There are no time limits and no daily limit on visits
  • No specified purpose is required
  • A group may exceed the “two visitors at a time” rule if dependents of a visitor (or patient in
    hospital) are in the group and care for the dependents cannot be arranged

Recommendation for remote / electronic visits

  • Other care and support should be provided remotely if reasonable/appropriate (e.g. phone call
    support for someone with hearing difficulties would not be appropriate)
  • Providing interpreter services or acting as a nominated person should be provided remotely unless it is not practicable to do so

Outings for Aged Care Residents and Care Facilities

  • Residents, clients and consumers can leave their care facilities for outings as long as this meets
    the requirements of the current stay at home orders. However, residents are encouraged not to
    leave the care facility unless it is essential.

Aged Care and Care Facility Prospective Residents

  • Prospective residents cannot visit an aged care facility.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are 2:00pm – 6:00pm except for the following wards:

  • Child and Adolescent Unit: parents or a designated carer are able to be present 24 hours
  • Maternity Unit: one support person between 9:00am – 11:00am and 2:00 – 6:00pm, rest period
    from 11:00am – 2:00pm
  • Birth Suite: one support person
  • Special Care Nursery: parents only and able to be present 24 hours

Record Keeping

GV Health is required to maintain records of visitors attending all areas across all GV Health sites.
Patients, visitors and staff are required to provide accurate information and all Department Heads are required to ensure record keeping processes in their areas are followed.