What to know when visiting family or friends in hospital

Having friends and family around is key to the healing process. While each hospital has set visiting hours, you can request approval for visits outside of these hours by speaking to one of our staff. Family members may also stay with critically ill patients for extended periods. 

Visiting the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Visitors to the ICU are limited to immediate family only, and depending on the patient, generally only one or two visitors are allowed at any given time. When visiting the ICU, you’ll need to be accompanied by one of our staff. Before you enter, you’ll need to sterilise your hands with the hand sanitiser provided.

Please do not bring flowers to the ICU. We don’t allow them due to space limitations and infection control policies.

Also, due to the nature of the ICU, our staff are allowed to ask visitors to leave at any given time, if required.

Preventing infection

• Please don’t visit the hospital if you are feeling unwell. If you’ve suffered from any form of gastro, you should not visit for 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
• Children who are unwell or just recovering from an illness shouldn’t be brought to the hospital.
• You should use the hand sanitiser provided to clean your hands when entering and leaving the hospital wards.
• You shouldn’t touch your relative/friend's wounds or devices such as drips.
• If possible, avoid sitting on the bed or using the patient’s bathroom. Public bathrooms are available on each floor.
• For infection control purposes, please don’t bring potted plants (including potted orchids) into the patient’s room.
• Pets aren’t allowed into the hospital at any time.

Mobile phones and Smoking

When you visit, please don’t use your mobile phone near monitoring equipment as it may interfere with the system.

St Vincent’s Private Hospitals are smoke-free environments. Please don’t smoke anywhere on site, including the car parks and outdoor areas. Electronic cigarettes are also not permitted.