Patient Information
Admission
On admission to the hospital your doctor and the nursing staff will record details of your medical history and it will be necessary for you to inform them of any allergies you may have. You are encouraged to ask your doctor or nurse about your medical condition or any concerns you may have. Your doctor may order some procedures and tests; eg. x-rays, blood tests etc.
What to bring
- Current medications
- Medicare card
- health fund membership card (if applicable)
- pension or repatriation cards
- Bed attire
- dressing gown / slippers
- tissues
- toiletries- soap, toothbrush, toothpaste,
- reading material – books and magazines.
Medications
On admission, any medications which you may have brought with you will need to be given to the nursing staff.
Your doctor will also need to know of any complementary therapies which you may be currently undertaking, as these may effect or interact with the medications you receive in hospital.
The doctor will order all medications you need whilst in hospital.
Your medications will be returned to you on discharge.
Valuables
You are strongly advised not to bring jewellery, large sums of money or any item of value into hospital. The hospital cannot accept responsibility for their security.
Mail
Mail is delivered to the hospital daily; any mail delivered after your discharge will be forwarded to you as soon as possible.
Phone calls
Each bed has an allocated telephone. Local calls can be made from theses phones and external calls can be received. The direct number for external calls is written on each phone. Calls from outside the hospital can also be made via the hospital telephone number.
Meals
Meals are at 7 am, midday and 5 pm. Your diet is an essential part of your care and the hospital aims to provide a choice of meals and can supply specific diets where required.
Relatives and friends may provide special foods for you, alcohol is not to be brought in by visitors without first speaking with nursing staff. You may not be able to eat or drink prior to certain procedures or blood tests.
Visitors should always enquire before offering food or drink to a patient.
The hospital does have a visiting dietician please speak with nursing staff if you would like a referral.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on the premises of the Yea & District Memorial Hospital and Rosebank Aged Care.
This means that NO ONE can smoke inside or outside any building, or in any outdoor area within the boundaries of the Yea & District Memorial Hospital and Rosebank Aged Care. This includes carparks, courtyards and any external area on the Y&DMH and Rosebank Aged Care property.
All patients, staff, visitors and contractors are expected to respect and comply with this policy by not smoking on the Yea & District Memorial Hospital premises.
Visitors
- Visiting hours are from 11am – 8 pm daily or by arrangement with nursing staff.
- Relatives are welcome to stay with critically ill patients for extended periods; we have a visitors sitting room with tea and coffee making facilities.
- Visiting children must be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for their conduct.
- When a patient is very unwell or tired nursing staff may ask visitors to leave and come back later to allow a rest period.
- Parents are encouraged to remain with their child if they are required to stay overnight staff will manage sleeping arrangements staff.
- Covid restrictions may be in place – please check what these are prior to attending
'No Lift' Policy
In accordance with Worksafe Guidelines, Yea and District Memorial Hospital is a ‘No Lift’ workplace and nursing staff will, if necessary use lifting machines and slide sheets to facilitate your care.
Pastoral Care
The support of the clergy and other counselling services are always available. Church representatives visit regularly. Please discuss this with the nursing staff.
Laundry
You are requested to make your own arrangements to have your washing done, if this is not possible the service is available for a fee. All clothes will need to be named.
Private Patients
Patients with private insurance may request a single room. However with the small amount of single rooms available this may not always be possible.
Quality Improvement
It is our aim to provide excellent service. You may be asked to confidentially express your opinion on your time at Yea Hospital through the Victorian Patient Satisfaction Monitor (VPSM) survey, which helps us maintain a high standard of care.
Discharge
The nursing staff will organise your discharge. It may be necessary for you to have someone to drive you home. Please do not leave the hospital without speaking to nursing staff, collecting your medications, prescriptions, discharge form and receiving any discharge advice.
Leaving Hospital
Planning for going home happens early in your hospital stay, so you can arrange for someone to take you home or we can contact that person for you.
The Nursing staff will help you make the necessary arrangements, including making appointments with additional services if you require them. Your medications will also be returned on departure and the nurse will go through what all of your medications are for and when and how to take them safely.
One of our nursing staff will give you a call approximately a day or two post discharge to see how you are managing. However, should you have any queries or concerns following your discharge, please call the hospital and ask to speak to the Nurse in Charge.
Before you leave the hospital, please make sure that the people who will be looking after you at home know what they need to do.
If you are in any doubt, ask the Nursing staff to write out your treatment program.
This checklist may help you plan leaving hospital:
- Leave a forwarding address with ward staff, in case they need to contact you
- Make sure you have a time and date for your next appointments (if needed)
- Ensure you have enough medication and understand how and when to take it
- Make sure you have all of your personal items.
Freedom of Information
Requests
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) (FOI Act) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) you have the right to request access to your medical record and personal information held by Yea & District Memorial Hospital (YDMH). Your rights extend to obtaining copies of information, viewing information or requesting an amendment to information that is incomplete, incorrect, misleading or out of date.
You can also request access to the medical information of another person with their written consent.
Each request is considered in accordance with the FOI Act. As a result some requested documents may be exempted. If so, you will be advised as to the reason why under the Act. In considering the request YDMH will take reasonable steps to be satisfied that the applicant has the right to access the requested information.
Some information is not available. This includes:
- Documents containing personal information about other people
- Documents containing information provided in confidence to YDMH
- Internal working papers
Request Form
Download – Freedom of Information Request Form
Making a Request
An application must be made in accordance with the FOI Act. You must:
- Complete a written application
- We request you complete a Freedom of Information Request available from the health service, or download from our website
- Provide identification with your application
- A clear photocopy of identification that contains a photograph of you and your signature. Your passport or drivers licence are good examples
- Authority for release of information if you are requesting access to another person’s information.
- Pay a non-refundable application fee which at the 1st July 2019 is $29.60.
Cost
Apart from the application fee access charges are levied in accordance with the FOI Act, however in certain circumstances these may be waived. Current charges are:
- Search time – $20.00 per hour (if a record is off campus)
- Paper records – $0.20 per single side black and white photocopy
- Postage – the cost of postage by Registered Mail
Payment is to be made by cash or cheque made payable to YDMH.
Submissions of Applications
By Email:
FOI Officer
yeahospital@ydmh.org.au
By Post:
FOI Officer
Yea & District Memorial Hospital
45 Station Street
YEA VIC 3717
In Person:
YDMH Reception
45 Station Street
8.00am – 4.30pm / Mon – Fri
Receipt of Applications
Upon receipt of your request:
- You will receive acknowledgement usually within fourteen (14) days.
- You may be contacted for further information.
- A formal decision letter will be provided within thirty (30) days from receipt of request, unless an extension has been permitted under the FOI Act.
Complaints
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your FOI application, in the first instance please contact the YDMH FOI Officer by telephoning (03) 5736 0400 to discuss the decision.
Following discussion if you are still dissatisfied you can:
- Apply to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) within twenty-eight (28) days for a review.
- Seek conciliation by the Health Complaints Commissioner within twenty-eight (28) days.
Victorian Information Commissioner
Phone
Call 1300 006 842 (1300 00 OVIC) between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Email
enquiries@ovic.vic.gov.au
Post
PO Box 24274
Melbourne VIC 3001
Fax
(03) 8684 7588
Interpreter and translation service
Call OVIC through TIS National: 131 450
Your Healthcare Rights
Your Healthcare, Safety & Rights
Your safety and healthcare goals are our highest priority. By sharing your needs and what’s most important to you, together we can make the best healthcare decisions.
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Your Responsibilities – What we expect from you
Please help us provide you with the best possible care by:
- Telling us about your medical history and providing accurate information, as best you can, about your current medical problems, previous illness, medications, visits to hospital, allergies you may have and other matters relating to your health
- Telling us about any religious or cultural considerations/requirements
- Asking staff for a clear explanation of treatments, tests and medications recommended for your care
- Letting staff know immediately if you do not understand instructions or advice given to you
- Discussing any worries or concerns you have with a relevant member of staff
- Letting staff know if for any reason you intend to leave the hospital
- Being courteous, respectful and considerate to other patients and to all treating staff
- Being involved in the planning of your discharge
Zero Tolerance to Aggression and Violence
The organisation has a zero-tolerance policy to aggression, violence, and verbal abuse.
If you behave in an aggressive or threatening way we may ask you to leave and Police will be called to any incidents where staff or other patients feel threatened or abused
Your Privacy
When you become a patient or client of acute or primary health services, a medical record is created. Every time you attend Yea & District Memorial services, information is added to your record. We only collect information that is necessary to provide for your care and treatment.
Yea & District Memorial Hospital adheres to the Information Privacy Act 2002 (Vic) and the Health Records Act (Vic) 2002. We are committed to protecting the privacy of personal information in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2002.
Only authorised staff have access to personal information which remains confidential and is only used as appropriate.
We are a Smoke Free Facility
Yea & District Memorial Hospital is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment.
It is YDMH’s policy that smoking is not permitted on YDMH grounds at any time.
This includes all buildings and grounds/outdoor areas and applies to patients, visitors, staff and volunteers.
Your Healthcare Rights - Video
Safe Patient Care
Nurse to Patient Ratios
Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 sets the minimum staff-to-patient ratios so that everyone can get safe, quality care no matter where they go.
Below are the nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios at Yea and District Memorial Hospital.
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Information Updates
Updated 23rd July 2024
Feedback
Feedback Form
Making a complaint
Any problem is usually best solved at the point of service within Yea and District Memorial Hospital.
Please contact us directly on (03) 5733 0400
or email
What will happen if I am making a complaint?
Any problem is usually best solved at the point of service in the hospital.
As a general rule there are three levels a complaint must progress through:
- Initially the complaint should be addressed to the individual staff member to give them an opportunity to respond directly.
- If you believe the complaint has not been resolved by contacting the individual staff member you may then direct your complaint to the Director of Nursing / Manager for review and response.
- If you still believe the complaint has not been addressed by the DON/Manager it may progress to the Y&DMH Board of Management for response.
We will endeavor to:
Acknowledge your complaint within five working days of receipt
Respond to your complaint within 30 days
Please note: Complaints sent directly to the Board of Management without following the steps above will not be accepted.
Additional External Contacts
However, if you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint or you wish to take your concerns further, please contact the Health Complaints Commissioner for inpatients and Urgent Care patients:
- Call 1300 582 113 or visit www.hcc.vic.gov.au and fill out an online form or Send a letter:
Health Complaints Commissioner,
Level 26, 570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000.
The Aged Care Complaints Commissioner for residential aged care and community services:
- Call 1800 951 822 or visit www.agedcarequality.gov.au
Send a letter: Aged Care Complaints Commissioner,
GPO Box 9819, Melbourne, 3001
Deaf, difficulty hearing or speech impaired?
- Visit www.accesshub.gov.au
Need an interpreter?
- Call TIS National 131 450 or visit www.tisnational.gov.au
NDIS Commission
- Call 1800 035 544 or visit www.ndiscommission.gov.au