Visitors & visiting hours

General visiting hours are between 10am and 8pm.

We have a rest period between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.

All visitors must wear a mask in clinical areas of the hospital. Visitors with a mask exemption must wear a face shield in those areas.

In some high-risk areas, such as the Emergency Department, visitors and patients must wear N95 masks.

Visitors must also wear N95 masks in:

• Ward 5 West Day Medical
• Ward 6 South West
• Ward 7B

Other wards may also require visitors to wear N95 masks. Find out more about our wards at the RMH Parkville or our wards at the RMH Royal Park.

You should not enter the hospital if you are unwell, have COVID-19 or are a COVID-19 contact. 

Visitors are no longer required to check in at the RMH Parkville hospital entrances.

You should not enter the hospital if you are unwell, have COVID-19 or are a COVID-19 contact.

Our visiting hours support family participation in care, which has been shown to improve the patient’s recovery and improve the communication between patients, families and staff.

Visiting hours applies to the RMH Parkville and the RMH Royal Park, with the exception of the following wards:

• Intensive Care Unit
• Ward 6 South East (6SE)
• Ward 7 West
• Mental health wards located in the John Cade building

These units have their own visiting hours and rest periods that meet the special needs of their patients. Ask the staff in these areas about visiting hours and rest periods.

Find out more about our wards at the RMH Parkville and our wards at the RMH Royal Park.

Wards

Two visitors are allowed at the bedside during the general visiting hours.

We understand there will be times when there may be more than two people wanting to visit patients. We work with patients and their visitors to make sure other patients are not disturbed and that staff can continue to provide safe care.

There may be times when visitors are asked to leave the bedside to enable our staff to attend a patient’s care and provide appropriate privacy; we ask that all visitors work with our staff to respect this request.

Emergency Department

In the Emergency Department, visitors are welcome at any time. All visitors are issued with a Visitor sticker on arrival to ensure they are clearly identifiable to our staff.

The priority in the Emergency Department is to provide prompt assessment and treatment, and there will be times when visitors are asked to leave the bedside to enable our staff to attend to patient care.

We generally restrict visitors to 2 people per patient to ensure our staff can easily access patients.

When patients are admitted to hospital, they will be asked to identify 2 visitors who may play a key role in their care.

In consultation with the Nurse Unit Manager, these designated visitors may help during mealtimes, be present when the doctor visits or stay with the patient outside general visiting hours (10am – 8pm), if needed. 

Between 1.30pm and 2.30pm the ward lights are dimmed and curtains are drawn.

Our staff aim to keep the noise level to a minimum and reduce the number of people moving about the ward. This allows patients some quiet time to rest.

Designated visitors are welcome to stay during the rest period if patients need them, but other visitors are encouraged to leave the ward to allow patients to rest.

Some of our wards have protected mealtimes, where visitors are asked to leave for a while so that patients can relax and take their time to enjoy a meal without distraction.

Designated visitors are welcome to stay during protected mealtimes to help with meals if patients would like them to do so. This is especially important for our older patients, or those who have trouble eating or require additional support.

When general visiting hours finish at 8pm, most wards will close and lock their doors to provide additional security.

Designated visitors may arrange with the Nurse Unit Manager to stay outside general visiting hours. The designated visitors may be asked to wear a green Visitor sticker to help staff identify them.

At the RMH Parkville, access to the wards after visiting hours finish will be via the Emergency Department.