South-west nursing homes enforce mask wearing, visitor restrictions as COVID cases rise

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announced a joint federal and state government funding package to minimise the harm to some of Victoria's most vulnerable people.

The state government has announced visitation to aged care and health care settings will be restricted to those defined as carers only from July 22 with a limit of one hour per day.

"We know this will be difficult for Victorian families, but ultimately this is about keeping the people we love safe," Ms Mikakos said.

With news of 27 active cases in Colac Otway Shire, Cobden Health has locked down its residential aged care facilities.

Until further notice, no visitors will be permitted to enter and all staff will be required to wear a face mask, which will be supplied by the organisation. Staff temperatures will continue to be checked and recorded daily.

Lyndoch Living Warrnambool director of nursing Julie Baillie said mask wearing was not being enforced yet at Lyndoch for staff or visitors.

"We are following the directives of the health department and expect they will be reviewing the current rules by tomorrow," she said.

"We absolutely welcome the additional support for aged care facilities and will continue to follow all the guidelines."

Given the increasing rate of coronavirus across Victoria, visitors to Mercy Health's regional residential aged care homes, including Mercy Place Warrnambool, will be asked to wear their own masks on entry to the homes.

Visitors will be expected to wear their mask for the duration of their visit.

Opal Gillin Park Warrnambool is requiring staff and visitors to wear masks.

Moyne Health has restricted visitation into its aged care homes and acute ward.

Visitation will be permitted for caregivers only, with appointments to be made in advance. Limited exemptions may apply on a case by case basis.

Masks are required to be worn by staff and visitors, and a coronavirus screening clinic will be run on Wednesday July 22 from 11am to 2pm.

Portland District Health medical staff are encouraged to wear masks across its facilities, including aged care.

Masks are not required for visitors yet but is being considered by the organisation.

Chief executive Chris Giles said despite four cases being recorded in Portland, they were comfortable with the management of their aged care facilities.

"We are still really comfortable with our aged care centres, we don't share staff and we're not moving them between facilities so there's reduced risk there," she said.

South West Healthcare has changed its visitor rules and is requiring all public-facing staff and visitors wear masks.

At the Warrnambool Base Hospital, Camperdown Hospital and Warrnambool mental health services acute inpatient services only one visitor per patient for one hour between 3-6pm.

Visitors will be screened as they enter the building and provided with a single-use mask to be worn while onsite. Visitors cannot be under 16 years old.

For the paediatrics unit, one parent or primary carer per child for an outpatient consultation or emergency department presentation. Two adults per child allowed during an inpatient admission. Only one parent or primary carer can stay with their child overnight.

At the midwifery unit, one partner or primary care person only.

At Merindah Lodge only one visitor is allowed and must be a primary contact for one hour between 2-4pm by appointment only.

Visitors will be screened as they enter Merindah Lodge and will be provided with a single-use mask to be worn while onsite. Visitors cannot be under 16 years of age. Additional restrictions may also apply.

Under the new funding package, the federal government will provide workforce funding to ensure staff, who regularly work across multiple facilities, work at only one aged care facility during COVID-19 times.

"We know we have a transient workforce and in many cases a casualised workforce working across many facilities," Ms Mikakos said.

"We have had instances in recent days of staff working in multiple facilities and outbreaks in multiple facilities."

It is understood the federal government workforce funding will ensure staff work at only one facility to reduce the risk of spread, but ensure those workers are not financially disadvantaged.

The Victorian Government's one-off $1500 worker support payment is still available to support Victorian workers, including those in aged care, who have been instructed to stay home because they've had a positive test or need to self-isolate as a close contact.

Ms Mikakos said funding would also be targeted at providing more infection control training for aged care facilities and staff and to increase testing.

Staff will be able to access free testing even if they do not have symptoms.

"The Commonwealth will deploy five new testing teams to test staff but also residents in a residential aged care facilities across Melbourne and Mitchell Shire," she said.

"We believe these changes are going to be important to address the risk we are seeing with those significant numbers of outbreaks and staff and residents testing positive in recent days."

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