Changes to outpatient appointments and elective procedure bookings have been made to protect Mater patients, staff and the whole community by:
- Enabling physical distancing by:
- Postponing non-urgent consultations and procedures to a later date. A clinician will be reviewing your case, but regrettably, at this time we are unable to advise a date of your next booking, however please be assured we are working hard to ensure this will be as soon as possible.
- Utilising technology such as telehealth (video call) and phone clinics to avoid physical contact
- Conserving personal protective equipment (PPE), such as surgical face masks and gowns, for staff to deal with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 patients as well as patients requiring urgent care
During this time we request that you continue with any existing treatment plans, stay up to date with information and contact your GP to discuss your care, if required. They can provide you advice on how to manage your condition while you are waiting.
If you have received notification that your appointment has changed to a phone or telehealth appointment it is because your clinical team are confident that they can provide you with the care you need without physical contact. Reducing unnecessary hospital attendance at this time is very important.
Telehealth (video call) is a way of having your appointment without coming to the hospital by using a secure video link on your personal computer (PC), laptop or Mac, tablet or smart phone. If you have received a notice that your appointment has changed to a telehealth (video call) appointment you will be contacted with further information and support on how to set up your personal device.
Your appointment will still be conducted by a clinician from your treating team. Depending on your situation your clinical team may include a Specialist Doctor, a Medical Registrar, a Specialist Nurse or an Allied Health Clinician such as a Psychologist or Dietitian.
If you have received notification from the hospital that your appointment or procedure booking has been cancelled due to COVID-19, this is likely because the clinician needs to see you in person for your appointment. It is also possible that the urgency of your care has been assessed as safe to delay during this time allowing staff to attend to urgent and emergency care and the increased demands of COVID-19. You will be offered another appointment or procedure booking as appropriate as soon as the hospital can provide you with that information.
If you had a date for a procedure or surgery, you will be rebooked as soon as the hospital is able to provide you with a new date and time. You will remain on the waiting list and will not lose your position. If you were awaiting an appointment in clinic your case will be reviewed and the most appropriate pathway of care will be determined by your treating team. While responding to COVID-19, clinical teams are triaging patients and reviewing delayed cases to ensure the most urgent patients are seen first.
Please continue to monitor your condition, as required, with your General Practitioner (GP) or the clinician that referred you. We value the role of primary care and will continue to work in partnership with them through this time.
Contact your GP to discuss your care. They can provide you advice on how to manage your condition while you are waiting. If required, your GP may request the hospital book an urgent appointment for you. At Mater we value the role of primary care and will continue to work in partnership with them through this time.
If your condition is too serious to wait or is an emergency, call 000 and ask for an ambulance or attend your closest hospital emergency department.
To ensure the health and wellbeing of all patients and staff and the wider community, please advise the hospital as soon as possible if you are currently:
- in self-isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 precautions,
- sick, have a fever, and/or a flu-like illness, or
- unable to attend this appointment for other reasons.
We will notify your treating clinical team who will review your care and be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Your treating team has said that your clinical review or procedure is important and should proceed as planned at the hospital at this time to ensure the best outcome for your care. Please be assured that this decision is made in line with clinical guidelines and all necessary precautions are being taken for the safety of you and our staff.
If your booking has changed to a phone or telehealth (video call) appointment, or has been postposed at this time, we will contact you soon. If you had any community transport arrangements in place please notify the service that these are no longer required.
- Be aware of the current visitor restrictions.
- You should adhere to physical distancing requirements by keeping a minimum of 1.5 meters between yourself and others
- All waiting and consultation rooms, toilets, and shared spaces are being frequently cleaned and sanitised
- Hand sanitising facilities are available throughout the hospital
To stay informed and up to date with current advice and requirements about COVID-19 you can;
The coronavirus is causing anxiety, worry and stress for patients. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by news of the outbreak. If you have experienced mental health issues in the past we encourage you to:
- activate your support network
- acknowledge feelings of distress
- seek professional support early if you’re having difficulties.
For those already managing mental health issues, continue with your treatment plan and monitor for any new symptoms. Resources are available here to support you.
As COVID-19 evolves Mater is restricting the number of people moving through our hospitals and facilities, and this applies to patients, visitors and support people.
We respect that you may like to have a support person with you for some consultations. Given the need to adhere to social distancing, you may bring one support person with you. If you have any additional questions about your appointment, please contact the outpatient clinic on 07 3163 3000.
On 22 March 2020, in line with government direction, health services were reduced to respond to COVID-19. This included the decline of non-urgent (Category 3) referrals for most specialities.
Hospitals have now been advised that Category 3 referrals received between 22 March and 30 June 2020 will be accepted from 1 July 2020.
We have contacted all patients impacted and added them to the waitlist from 1 July 2020. If your referral was declined during this time we apologise for the invonvenience and thank you for your understanding. Appointments will be offered in the order the referrals were received. It is clinically recommended your appointment is within 365 days from 1 July 2020.
If you need to discuss this further, please call us on 07 3163 3000.
Staying safe
Help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 by:
- Regularly washing your hands
- Avoid touching your face, nose and mouth.
- Staying home if you are unwell.
For more information on COVID-19 visit Queensland Health's website.