All SDHB hospitals implement further COVID-19 safety measures

This evening it has been decided that all SDHB hospitals will implement further COVID-19 safety measures. This means Dunedin, Southern, Clutha and Gore hospitals will all join Lakes and Dunston hospitals in the implementation of further safety measures designed specifically to decrease the spread of COVID-19.

This decision is based on increasing cases in the Southern district, the confirmation of the Omicron variant in our district, and the risk of unexpected COVID-19 positive patients and visitors to our hospitals. Staff, patient and visitor safety is the priority of the SDHB and this decision has been made with that in mind.

These changes at our hospitals affect staff, patients, and visitors.

Changes include:

• Staff in public and patient facing roles will be wearing N95 masks. Those that are in high-risk areas such as the emergency department and maternity, will also be wearing eye protection.
• Patients being admitted to wards will undergo a COVID-19 test on admission.
• Patients may be required to wear an N95 mask if this is deemed necessary by clinical staff.
• Increased focus on physical distancing throughout all SDHB facilities
• Restricted entrances at all facilities with all entrances monitored by staff, visitors screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entry, and public health measures enforced (QR code scanned, wearing a surgical mask, hands sanitised).
• Visitors with mask exemptions will not be admitted entry.
• Only one visitor at a time will be able to visit patients on wards. Individual wards may impose further restrictions or close wards to visitors if they feel there is a heightened risk to the safety of their patients.
• Only one person may accompany someone who is attending an outpatient appointment or presenting at the emergency department for care. Children may accompany a parent or sibling if childcare is not available.

Maternity services will have different restrictions for patients and visitors. Please speak with your lead maternity carer for more information or check the information on the Southern Health website.

We understand that some of these changes may be upsetting for patients and visitors, but these measures have been put in place to keep patients, visitors, staff and the community safe.

If you have a loved one in hospital and are unsure about visiting, please phone the ward before you plan to visit them. The individual ward staff will be able to inform you of what is happening in their individual areas.

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SDHB Communications 
communications@southerndhb.govt.nz