Northern Beaches Hospital is ramping up its COVID security procedures in the lead up to an expected period of high demand and high risk as lockdown measures slowly ease over coming weeks and months.
Manly Observer has been contacted by many Northern Beaches Hospital patients today who have been advised of new screening and testing requirements for all patients and visitors entering the hospital. From Monday (20 September) the hospital will require patients to have a COVID test at least three days before their appointment and to complete a screening questionnaire. If you do not receive your results in time you will have to reschedule.
Maternity patients and their support partners will need to surveillance test once a week from 36 weeks gestation or 72 hours before any antenatal visit.
There are still no visitors permitted.
All children and babies will also need to be tested before being allowed into the hospital.
These measures will apply to inpatients arriving for surgery/stays, outpatient appointments and private doctor appointments, as well as maternity patients and partners.
“The next several weeks are expected to be the most challenging in hospitals across Sydney. Our Clinical Advisory Group have taken the advice of infection control experts to tighten controls and reduce risk of COVID-19 in the hospital,” Northern Beaches Hospital states in its patient communications.
Asked about more urgent cases, the hospital states, “Most patients can wait 3 days for their appointment but if you need urgent medical care you should see your GP or go to the hospital emergency department.”
The hospital hit headlines when a new mother and baby became COVID-positive after time spent in the maternity ward last month. NSW Health also conducted contact tracing recently after it was revealed that a COVID-positive person was in the emergency room on 1 September.
You can read all of the new rules and process on the hospital website.
