Narrabri Hospital thanks community and updates visitors on procedures during COVID-19 pandemic

The Narrabri District Health Service has thanked the community for its patience and support during the coronavirus pandemic especially the local businesses which have kindly made surprise deliveries of pizza, coffee and other goodies.

In line with a directive from NSW Health, Narrabri District Health Service has also provided an update on visiting hours and procedures.

Due to COVID-19, it is now mandatory for people to have their temperature checked before entering the hospital and health services, and they may also be asked a series of screening questions.

The directive applies to all nominated visitors, patients and contractors to the wards, people attending appointments in the community health clinics and attending appointments at pathology and radiology.

Patients can only nominate one visitor for their entire stay.

If community members are visiting the Health Service during business hours they will be greeted by the friendly clinical staff at the front entrance and screened, people might be asked to wait outside to observe social distancing measures.

Visiting hours have been amended to start at 11.30am to 1pm and 3pm to 6pm.

Entry to the Narrabri District Health Service after 6pm should be for special circumstances only.

Narrabri District Health Service said that the main front doors will be open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday but will be closed at all other times.

The doors will remain closed over the weekend.

If people have a health issue and are presenting outside business hours or on the weekend, they are being asked to press the intercom at the front entrance, state their name and purpose and a nurse will then come and attend the screening of visitors.

Health authorities are asking anyone with a fever or respiratory illness including cough, sore throat or shortness of breath to present for COVID-19 testing at allocated times.

Shire residents need to ring their local hospital health service in Narrabri, Wee Waa or Boggabri to confirm the allocated times and make an appointment for testing so that heath staff have their information prior to the testing clinic so that it decreases their waiting time.

At the time of going to print, the allocated times listed included: Narrabri 12 noon and 6pm timeslots, Wee Waa 10-11am and Boggabri 2-3pm.

There are currently no COVID-19 cases reported in the Narrabri Shire.