The ongoing safety, health and well being of our patients, visitors, staff, volunteers and doctors during the COVID pandemic has and always remains our single highest priority. Please find below a summary of our current COVID safety measures, including patient admission requirements and our latest visiting guidelines.
The Burnside Hospital reserves the right to alter these guidelines in its unfettered discretion. As such, changes may be made with minimal notice to ensure that we remain aligned with community conditions and the health advice available at the time.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Please select options below for all relevant information.
Patient Admission Information (day surgery, maternity and general wards)
Patient vaccination status
The hospital will continue to accept all patients irrespective of their vaccination status, however our preference is that patients are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Patient screening and testing requirements
From 1 August 2022, please be advised that all booked elective patients coming to the hospital are encouraged to supply their own Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). All subsequent tests during your admission will be supplied by the Hospital.
All booked elective patients will be required to undertake the following tests:
- Individual patient COVID screening processes at the front screening station located at reception will continue and be dynamic in response to changing circumstances (e.g. travel history, hotspot exposure, wellness status, temperature checking, QR check in, sighting ’VaxCheck’ app status)
- Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the time of admission (supplied by the patient where possible). Following a COVID-19 health screening assessment, you will be directed to the hospital testing station, where our staff will perform this test. (Accessed through the main entry doors of the Hospital, along Kensington Road).
- For unplanned or spontaneous maternity admissions, a RAT will be undertaken at the hospital at the time of admission. The partner / support person of a maternity patients will be required to provide their own negative test results.
- For further information relating to maternity service guidelines specifically, please click here.
- RAT on day after admission. This test will be supplied by the Hospital and facilitated by the nursing staff caring for you.
Patients who are symptomatic must notify their admitting doctor and obtain a PCR test before they are admitted in to the Hospital.
All patients’ vaccination status will be required to be disclosed, where able, prior to admission and documented in the patients clinical record. Any assistance you and your Doctor can provide in advance as part of the admission process would be appreciated as this will potentially reduce delays on the day of admission.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
For your safety, our staff and doctors will wear PPE at all times whilst in the hospital. Patients and visitors are required to wear a supplied mask whilst outside of their room and in all communal areas.
Staying connected with your friends and family
There are currently visitor restrictions in place at Burnside Hospital at this time. Further information is available below.
In these challenging times, we encourage patients to keep in touch with friends and loved ones via phone, the use of video calls (FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger etc) and other digital and /or social platforms wherever possible
We acknowledge that these times are challenging for you as a patient and that visitors and conversation can help aid your recovery and pass the day. The Hospital is pleased to offer all patients a complimentary Wi-Fi service to assist with data usage during your stay.
Our teams are on hand to assist with access and any other questions you may have.
Patients who have recovered from COVID-19
If you have recently recovered from COVID-19 and are due for admission, please notify your admitting doctor as soon as possible as they may recommend that you undergo further health assessments and will ensure your admission and/or surgery is scheduled accordingly.
Patients who are close contacts
Under current SA Health advice, a patient who is a close contact or classroom contact is unable to attend a hospital (high risk location) for fourteen (14) days from date of exposure. Please speak with your admitting doctor as soon as possible.
Maternity service patients
COVID guidelines and visiting restrictions for maternity patients and their partner / support person are available here.
Current Visitor Restrictions
Effective immediately, patients (maternity and general wards) are permitted one (1) visitor per patient, per day, for a maximum of two (2) hours only.
- Visitors will need to be up to date with their vaccination status and able to show evidence of at least two (2) TGA approved vaccines upon arrival at the hospital.
- Visitors will need to show evidence of a negative RAT upon arrival to the hospital. This can be via a photograph on their mobile device, but the photo must display evidence of RAT being taken on that day.
Please note, negative RAT results are only valid for a 24 hour period, therefore if visiting daily, a new negative RAT will need to be supplied. - For visiting restrictions pertaining to our maternity service and patients, please click here.
Importantly, we also take this opportunity to remind you that:
- Surgical masks must be worn at all times within the hospital. Visitors with their own cloth mask will have a surgical mask provided to them upon entry to the hospital
- Regrettably, no visitors / support person will be permitted in the hosptial's Brian Fricker Oncology Centre and / or the day surgery unit.
- We request that either the patient or the nominated caregiver make contact with visitors to arrange a suitable schedule to ensure that visitors are not refused entry and patients/visitors disappointed.
- Exceptions to the above may be considered dependent on circumstances in consultation with the relevant Clinical Manager. Please note, applications are not guaranteed.
Please be aware, Burnside Hospital reserves the right to change these restrictions at any time and with minimal notice.
Important Information for Burnside Hospital Obstetric (Maternity) Service Patients
The health, safety and well-being of our Burnside mothers, babies, their families, our doctors, staff and volunteers remains our number one priority during these challenging and changing times.
Outpatient and Hospital Based Specialist Appointments
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Oncology |
No visitors and/or support persons will be permitted within the clinical areas of the unit where treatment is conducted e.g. Brian Fricker Oncology Centre. |
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Outpatients |
Outpatients who are up to date with their vaccination status and able to show evidence of at least two (2) TGA approved vaccines upon arrival at the hospital may enter without evidence of a RAT, but will be required to undergo all vetted screening at the front entrance and comply with mask wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene requirements. Unvaccinated outpatients will require a same day negative result RAT prior their appointment and will be required to provide a photograph of the negative test on arrival. Access to any patient areas and Burnside Hospital staff should be extremely limited and their time within the Hospital is also required to be for a short period only. |
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Hospital Based Specialist Appointments |
We request that you please check with your specialist’s office ahead of your appointment to see if a support person is permitted. Entry into the Hospital will be permitted based on meeting the testing requirements listed above (outpatients). |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Can I have visitors during my admission? |
Please refer to our current visitor restrictions in the general information section above. |
| Can my child / children visit me at the hospital? |
In line with other South Australian private hospitals and advice from SA Health, unfortunately children (<16 years) are not permitted in any clinical areas of the Hospital. This is an evidence based approach and has been reluctantly endorsed by SA Health and Senior Medical Executives based on the high levels of infection and rate of transmission amongst this age group. A unified approach for our maternity service has been carefully considered and this same approach has been applied to other private maternity hospitals also. While vaccination is very effective at reducing the risk of serious illness and hospitalisation, a fully vaccinated person can still catch COVID and unknowingly spread it to another person. This may include:
At Burnside Hospital, our patients include unvaccinated babies in our Special Care Nursery, unvaccinated patients and immunocompromised patients. This is why we unfortunately have had to reduce the number of hospital visitors. This difficult but necessary measure also helps us to maintain physical distancing and density limits, and protect our patients and staff. We understand that this a difficult for our families, but it is important that we do everything we can to minimise the risk to our patients, newborns, families, visitors and all Burnside Hospital staff, volunteers and visiting medical officers. We thank you in advance for your consideration, understanding and support. |
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Who will be wearing a face mask? |
All patients (general wards and maternity) will be required to wear a provided surgical mask when outside of their room. Visitors will be required to wear a surgical mask at all times. In addition, healthcare workers must wear a provided respirator mask and eye protection when on site. This is mandatory for all staff, including doctors, nurses, midwives, food service attendants, cleaning staff, allied health staff, corporate staff and any contractors on site. |
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What happens if I get COVID before my admission at the Hospital? |
If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 prior to admission, you must have a PCR test, isolate and await your results. Please advise your admitting doctor if you receive a positive COVID PCR or RAT result as soon as possible. For a list of all testing locations, please click here. |
| What happens if there is a case of COVID-19 within the hospital during my stay? |
If any patient exhibits COVID-19 symptoms during their stay, or becomes a suspected positive case, our hospital is very well prepared to manage them and their required care. This may include additional support, or a transfer to another hospital to receive the require care / medical intervention. The Hospital has a COVID management plan in place and under the guidance of a highly experienced Infection Control Team, we have planned for this situation. |
| What proof of vaccination do you require / accept? |
We accept any of the following as proof of your vaccination status:
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| How long will the Hospital have these restrictions for? |
We are unable to determine how long these guidelines will be in place for. |
| I don’t consent to having a RAT. What are my options? |
If you do not consent to having a RAT (or a PCR) you will need to discuss this with your doctor ahead of your admission. Without evidence of a negative RAT or agreeing to have a RAT on admission, your surgery / procedure may be cancelled. This necessary measure has been put in place to ensure the ongoing safety of everyone at the hospital, including you. |
| Does the Hospital offer any exceptions? |
Exceptions to any / all of the above mentioned information may be considered dependent on circumstances, by contacting the relevant Clinical Manager (e.g maternity, ward, oncology etc). Please phone our reception team on (08) 8202 7222 and they will be able to best direct your call. Please note, applications are not guaranteed. |
Community Resources for Further Information
We encourage our community to keep up to date with the latest information regarding COVID-19 from the following reliable additional resources:
- Australian Government Department of Health
- SA Health. Useful resources include:
Close contact information
Isolation and quarantine advice for COVID-19
PCR testing locations
Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) collection point locations
Vaccination information
Help and advice for South Australian's
- Burnside Hospital - Useful COVID-19 Information and Contact Numbers
