This page contains important information for patients, carers and visitors relating to COVID-19.
Peter Mac is working closely with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to keep safe and protect our patients and their families & carers, visitors and health care workers from COVID-19.
Our hospital remains open and fully functional with the appropriate safeguards and containment precautions in place, including screening at our main entrance (more information below).
If you have specific questions relating to cancer and COVID-19 or your treatment, please see the drop down box below for numbers you can call.
Patients:
- If you are currently receiving cancer treatment at Peter Mac and you begin to feel unwell and develop a fever, shortness of breath, a cough, or other respiratory symptoms please contact your treating team and we will direct you to the most appropriate place of care.
- If you have arrived home from international travel in the last 14 days or have come into close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 infection and are unwell you should seek immediate medical attention. Call ahead to your GP or closest emergency department and mention your overseas travel before you arrive so they can prepare appropriate infection control measures. You can also seek further advice from the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398.
- If you have serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing – call 000 and ask for an ambulance.
The clinical teams at Peter Mac are currently working to move review and non-urgent appointments to minimise the number of patients who have to come into hospital every day. You may receive notification of appointment changes over the coming weeks or a request to change it to a telehealth appointment.
Further information
From Wednesday March 25, Peter Mac will be performing temperature checks and asking screening questions to all patients, visitors, couriers and contractors entering the building.
This added measure is to further protect our patients and staff and is in line with hospitals across Victoria.
Patients should allow extra time before their appointment to pass through the screening checks.
We thank everyone for their patience and cooperation as we implement these new screening measures.
Visitors must enter Peter Mac via the main entrance on Grattan Street. The Elizabeth Street entrance at the Haymarket roundabout will not be in use until further notice.
Starting on Monday March 23, Peter Mac is introducing changes for visitors.
These restrictions are as follows:
- Only ONE (1) visitor per patient is allowed at any one time (including those accompanying patients for outpatient treatment)
- There is a maximum of TWO (2) visitors per patient per day
- No visitors under the age of 16 are permitted.
- Visits must be no longer than two hours.
We know these restrictions can be challenging and we understand each family’s situation is different. For exceptional circumstances we encourage families to speak their family member's nursing team for further advice.
For the safety of our patients and staff please DO NOT visit a Peter Mac site if you have a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath or have been overseas in the last 14 days.
Please remember at this point if you have not travelled to affected areas overseas or have not been in direct contact with anyone who has visited the affected areas overseas or tested positive to COVID-19, there is very little risk of infection.
If you would like more information please visit the DHHS website
The carpark roller doors will now be closed at 8PM instead of 9PM.
This is to bring them in-line with the locking of all other external doors.
Patients and visitors will be able to exit the carpark with a valid ticket at any time but new entries to the carpark will stop at 8PM.
As this is a rapidly changing situation, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services website for the latest updates, including advice on symptoms and precautions.
- Wash hands often with soap and running water, for at least 20 seconds. Dry with paper towel or hand dryer.
- Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the tissue in the bin and wash your hands/use hand sanitiser.
- If you don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow.
- Continue healthy habits: don’t smoke, exercise, drink water, get plenty of sleep.
- Buy an alcohol-based hand sanitiser with over 60 per cent alcohol.
- Stay at home if you feel sick, and undertake physical distancing as outlined in the section below.
For more information on keeping safe, please stay up to date with the latest government information via the DHHS website.
Peter Mac is experiencing a high volume of calls so we're working with Cancer Council Australia’s Information and Support line to ensure we can best support our patients and families.
If you are a patient who is not currently on active treatment, and you have concerns about COVID-19 call:
Cancer Council Australia's Information and Support nurses on 13 11 20.
Or email [email protected] who can assist you further in the first instance.
Please note the CCA's Information and Support Service is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
This service is able to provide you with tailored, practical information and emotional support, however is unable to provide individual medical advice.
You can also call the 24-hour Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 or the National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.
Patients on active treatment at Peter Mac.
If you're a patient on active treatment, or caring for someone who is, and you are experiencing symptoms or concerns, please call and speak to your treating team.
You can contact your Patient Navigator – find information and contacts here or call the switchboard on 03 8559 5000 and ask to be put you through to your Patient Navigator.
You can also contact a Nurse Consultant on the number provided to you. From 1 April our Nurse Consultants will be working as a team to respond to enquiries.
This change to current practice has been made to help us respond to the higher number of calls we’re receiving due to COVID-19.
All of our Nurse Consultants are skilled at working with patients with cancer. If you call and the lines are busy, you can leave a message and a Nurse Consultant will call you back.
