Latest updates

Visitor limits | 13 November 2020

From Monday, 16 November 2020, visitor restrictions at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and all Children’s Health Queensland facilities will be eased in line with directions from the Chief Health Officer to allow two parents/carers per patient in all areas, including the Emergency Department, outpatient areas, community sites and inpatient wards. Wherever possible, siblings of patients should also be limited.

We ask that adults do not visit the hospital if they:

• have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• returned from overseas in the last 14 days
• been asked to self-quarantine
• had contact with a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
• been tested for COVID-19 and are waiting to receive the results
• COVID-19 symptoms of fever (37.5 degrees or more), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of smell or taste, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or fatigue.

Limiting the number of adults at our facilities and following physical distancing guidelines continues to play an important role in helping us maintain safe access to health care for children.

Changes to Queensland’s border restrictions | 2 November 2020

From 1am Tuesday, 3 November 2020, the Queensland border will open to residents of New South Wales, excluding people who have been in the Greater Sydney area (which remains a declared COVID-19 hotspot) in the past 14 days.

Under the revised Queensland border restrictions, families travelling across the border to visit the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) will need to complete a border declaration pass. Adults may also need proof of ID, such as a driver’s license or Medicare card.

If you have been in a hotspot in the past 14 days, including Great Sydney and all parts of Victoria, you can still visit the QCH without an exemption if the hospital has confirmed that your child requires essential health care. You will need to bring a copy of your hospital appointment letter with you as evidence of your child’s health care needs. Strict quarantine requirements will apply while you are in Queensland, including while you are at the hospital for your child’s treatment. In these cases, only one parent or carer is permitted to come to the hospital with the child.

QR code check-in system for staff and visitor registration | 17 September 2020

A QR code check-in system is now available at the Queensland Children’s Hospital to help with COVID-19 contact tracing if needed.

The contactless system allows anyone entering the hospital to quickly register their details by using the camera on their smart phone to scan a unique QR code. If hospital visitors do not have a smart phone, iPads are available on Level 2 for check-in.

The system will be rolled out across all other Children’s Health Queensland facilities by late-September.

Check-in is not mandatory, but staff and visitors are strongly encouraged to use the simple check-in system to help keep Children’s Health Queensland facilities and the community COVID-safe.

Public Health Alert | 23 August 2020

Queensland Health has issued a Public Health Alert for locations in the greater Brisbane area. Anyone who was at any of the contact tracing locations at the relevant times are asked to monitor their health and, if they develop even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, get tested.

Experts advise it is safe for majority of oncology and BMT patients to return to school | 8 May 2020

The Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) has recommended that it is safe for the vast majority of paediatric oncology and BMT patients to return to school. If your doctor had advised that it was safe for your child to attend school prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now safe for your child to attend school when they are re-opened.
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Update to elective surgeries at the Queensland Children’s Hospital | 22 April 2020

Following the National Cabinet announcement that elective procedures would gradually recommence from next Monday (27 April), Children’s Health Queensland has been working closely with Queensland Health to develop a clinically-led plan to increase elective surgery at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in a safe and considered way.

Our staff have begun the process of contacting families to confirm elective surgery bookings starting from Monday, 27 April. Parents/carers do not need to contact the hospital but will be phoned directly and advised if there has been a change to their child’s surgery booking.

Delivering the best and safest care possible for our patients remains our highest priority and we are closely monitoring the situation to ensure we continue to provide timely care to children who need it most.  We appreciate your support and understanding, and look forward to being able to return to business as usual as soon as we can.

If your child’s surgery has been postponed, and you’re concerned that their condition is getting worse, please contact our Elective Surgery Bookings Office on 07 3068 1125 or your family GP.

COVID-19 testing expanded in Cairns, Brisbane and the Gold Coast | 7 April 2020

The Queensland Government has expanded testing for COVID-19 to include people with symptoms that cannot be explained in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles said testing criteria had been broadened in areas with potential local community transmission.

“We have tested more than 58,000 people already and now we are stepping it up in three major centres,” Mr Miles said.

“If people in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Cairns present to a GP clinic or fever clinic with acute respiratory symptoms or pneumonia, and the cause cannot be determined, they will be tested for COVID-19.”
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Health screening now in place at the Queensland Children’s Hospital | 30 March 2020

All visitors to the Queensland Children’s Hospital are now required to undergo public health screening before entering the building.

Screening stations have been established at the Stanley Street and Raymond Terrace entrances to the hospital. The screening includes a series of questions about you and your child’s current health as well as a temperature check by a registered nurse.

The public health screenings follow the strict visitor restrictions introduced last week.

We understand this may cause a short delay but we appreciate your patience and support in helping us keep everyone in the hospital safe.

NDIS services and supports for children with disability during COVID-19 pandemic | 25 March 2020

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has made changes to how the NDIS works to help people with disability and their families access the services and supports they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NDIA is automatically extending plans by 12months to make sure families have certainty about funding. Extended plans will have the same core and capacity building budgets as current plans. Reviews are still being held if needed, and these are happening over the phone.

Also, NDIS plans can be used more flexibly, particularly between core and capacity building supports. And social distancing measures has led to new opportunities to purchase certain items and technologies that may not previously have been approved.

If your child’s plan needs changes, including flexible use of the plan, or if you are having difficulty getting services due to COVID-19, you need to:

• Speak with your Support Coordinator or your planner as soon as possible,
• call 1800 800 110 and select option 5. The National Contact Centre is available between 8am to 8pm (local time) Monday to Friday,
• email enquiries@ndis.gov.au, or
• use the webchat function on the NDIS website contact us page to talk to the NDIS online.

If you have specific questions about COVID19 and your family, please email COVIDquestions@health.qld.gov.au.