Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Date: 25/05/2020

Last updated: May 26

We're safe and we're open

At Cabrini, you can be confident you will be looked after in a safe environment.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Cabrini remains open and safe to attend for your healthcare needs. 

While many people may feel nervous about attending hospital at this time, it’s important to monitor all your medical needs, and seek treatment and care when you need it. Our services remain open and our staff remain committed to delivering the same quality and compassionate care our patients and their families have come to expect. 

Cabrini services including our specialist consultants, medical imaging, pathology, emergency care and the Cabrini Allied Health and Rehabilitation Services remain operational, in line with COVID-19 guidelines.

In addition to our hospitals, you can also attend Cabrini General Practice for your healthcare needs.

Cabrini is following all Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Commonwealth and other official recommendations to respond to the current outbreak of coronavirus disease. 

We have taken steps to ensure we can support the state-wide response to COVID-19, while also ensuring we can deliver care to our community.

Cabrini is well-equipped to diagnose and manage any patients who may have an infectious disease, including coronavirus, and we have stringent infection control procedures to ensure the safety of our staff, patients and visitors.

A message from Cabrini’s Medical Director

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, I want to let you know that Cabrini is open and safe to attend for your healthcare needs.

While many people may feel nervous about attending hospital at this time, it’s important to monitor all your medical needs, and seek treatment and care when you need it.

Our services remain open and our staff remain committed to delivering the same quality and compassionate care you have come to expect.

At Cabrini, you can be confident you will be looked after in a safe environment:

• Cabrini specialists are providing face-to-face appointments and offering telehealth consultations to review patients.
• Cabrini Malvern’s Alan, Ada and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department offers a 24 hour, seven day a week service, for patients who require urgent medical attention and diagnosis. You can view live emergency department wait times by visiting cabrini.com.au/emergency
• Cabrini Medical Imaging at Malvern and Brighton continues to provide services including x-rays, CT scans and MRIs.
• Cabrini Pathology is available for the rapid diagnosis and subsequent patient monitoring.
• Cabrini Allied Health and Rehabilitation Services have temporarily moved to our Cabrini site at 494 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick. These services include our chronic disease program, rehabilitation for outpatients, therapy in the home and the Allied Health Centre (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech pathology, health psychology, diabetes education, exercise physiology and podiatry).

Sometimes attending hospital can’t be avoided – and if that happens to you or your loved ones, our medical staff at Cabrini are here and ready to help.

Dr Fergus Kerr

Medical Director

COVID-19 resources

>> Important information for Cabrini patients [Video]

>> Information for bowel cancer patients [Video]

>> Self-assessment for risk of coronavirus (COVID-19)

For more information, please refer to the DHHS or contact their dedicated hotline on 1800 675 398.

We will continue to review information as it becomes available and keep our community updated as the situation evolves. 

Attending Cabrini for COVID-19 testing or treatment

If you are experiencing:

• A fever (> 37.5˚C) or history of fever (for example night sweats, chills)

OR

• Symptoms of an acute respiratory infection (for example, shortness of breath, cough, sore throat)

please phone the Cabrini Malvern Emergency Department on (03) 9508 1500 before presenting in person at 183 Wattletree Road, Malvern. 

We ask that you remain outside and follow the instructions of staff. The Cabrini Emergency Department will assess patients for risk of coronavirus, in line with DHHS criteria.

Visitor restrictions

Visitor restrictions at Cabrini remain in place, in line with advice from the DHHS. This continues to be an important measure to protect vulnerable patients and residents, our staff and the community. 

Visiting patients

• Limit of one designated visitor per patient, per day, for one hour
• Only immediate family, next of kin and carers are permitted
• No visitors under the age of 15 are permitted at Cabrini (unless they are seeking medical care themselves)
• Any visitors who have travelled overseas in last 14 days are not permitted
• All visitors to report to ward receptions before entering patient rooms
• Thermal temperature checks at point of entry at Malvern, Brighton and Ashwood campuses

Exceptions

• Maternity – partners are permitted to visit our maternity patients and babies
• End of life care – families and carers to be locally managed by ward staff
• Intensive care – families and carers to be locally managed by ICU staff
• Paediatric patients attending outpatient appointments – both parents can attend

We recommend you contact the person in hospital by their mobile phone or iPad / tablet (e.g. FaceTime) rather than visit them, if possible. We understand these restrictions may be difficult, but we are asking for your ongoing support as we work through this together.

Elective surgery

In line with DHHS advice, Cabrini postponed all non-urgent surgery on 25 March 2020. This was an important precaution in the state-wide response to COVID-19. From 27 April, some category two and category three surgeries recommenced across Victoria’s public and private hospitals.

We will continue to follow State Government guidelines and will keep our impacted patients updated on this situation.

Couriers and Contractors

Building access 

We have reduced entry and exit points at Cabrini Malvern, with the loading docks and main entrance remaining open. Please minimise any wandering through the hospital, including calling ahead if you are unsure of your destination within the facility.

Contractors

Please follow the normal induction process by signing in at Engineering. A Cabrini staff member will then take you to the designated work area

Information for maternity patients 

To help minimise the risk of infection transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) to our maternity patients and their babies, Cabrini has implemented the below processes:

• Maternity classes and tours have been cancelled until further notice. We are providing online antenatal classes – all booked patients will receive access to these classes via email during their third trimester.  Refunds will be provided if you have made a purchase and these can be organised by phoning the Maternity Bookings Office on (03) 9508 1724 (Mon–Fri, 9am-3pm) or emailing maternity@cabrini.com.au
• Current maternity patients are to phone the delivery suite on (03) 9508 1261 prior to presenting to hospital for monitoring or medical treatment
• Patients are to advise Cabrini staff if they, or anyone they know, has recently returned from overseas, or has the following symptoms – cold, shortness of breath, runny nose or fever
• Maternity ward visitation has also been restricted and only partners will be able to visit and stay with our new mothers and babies during their stay in hospital. No children, including siblings, will be allowed to visit the maternity ward.
• If you need any further information throughout your pregnancy, please phone our Maternity Bookings Office on (03) 9508 1724 (Mon–Fri, 9am-3pm) or email maternity@cabrini.com.au

Cabrini Foundation Emergency Appeal

Cabrini has never asked for emergency support but like everyone else, we have never been in a situation like this. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community, which has enabled us to provide specialised equipment to ensure the safety of our patients and to optimise the safety and skills of our staff.

To find our more and support our COVID-19 Emergency Appeal, please visit the Cabrini Foundation website.

Community spirit

Cabrini would like to thank the following individuals and organisations for their generosity towards our staff, patients and residents and families – your kind gestures and compassion have been much appreciated by the Cabrini community during this challenging time: