Wards and visiting

Updated Friday 27 January 2023:

From Friday 27 January visiting arrangements on our adult inpatient wards are been revised. Following a review of our infection prevention and control guidance, we are now allowing two visitors to visit their loved ones at the bedside for up to two hours per day, during either 2-4pm or 6-8pm.

In order to maintain patient and public / visitor safety; visiting will be subject to the ward not having any active cases of infections that could be passed on. This local guidance could change at any time at short notice.

This change is as a result of us continually monitoring infection rates in the hospital and locally.

Patients attending outpatient appointments can bring one adult to accompany them, however we would ask patients who are able to attend alone, to please do so. Visitors and staff must continue with mask wearing and infection control guidance.

The hospitals’ infection prevention and control guidance to the public includes:

• Anyone showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or feeling otherwise unwell must not visit.
• Do not visit if a member of your household has tested positive for COVID-19 or flu
• Visitors, parents, guardians, siblings will be asked to wear a surgical facemask to visit our wards – including the Emergency Department
• Symptom /wellness checks will be completed on arrival in our wards
• Please continue to wash your hands regularly before, during, and after, attending hospital and follow staff instructions relevant to the area being attended.

Patients and visitors will all be asked to wear masks when in the hospital to help to protect them and others from the risk of infection. Masks will be available for those who need them, but we would please ask people to bring their own where possible.

Visiting on adult wards:

• Will be restricting visiting to two visitors for two hours per day, during either 2-4pm or 6-8pm.

Visiting to Critical Care and Talbot Butler:

• Visiting may still need to be pre-booked with the ward and will be at the ward managers discretion.
  
  
• Visitors may be asked to complete a lateral flow test before coming onto the ward. This will be supplied by the hospital.

Visiting on paediatric wards:

• One resident parent may stay with their child for the duration of their stay. This visitor will be offered lateral flow testing on day 1, 3 and 5 of the stay which will be provided by the ward. Parents or guardians may swap once during the child's stay.
  
  
• A consistent second parent or guardian may also visit for 2 hours per day subject to admission screen. This visitor will be asked to complete a symptom checker prior to visiting. This will be provided by the ward.
  
  
• A second parent or guardian may also visit for 2 hours per day. This visitor may be asked to complete a lateral flow test prior to visiting. This will be provided by the ward.  Sibling visiting will continue to be reviewed regularly.

 

Visiting on our neonatal ward:

• Two parents or guardians are able to visit any time on the neonatal ward.
  
  
• The parents or guardians will be asked to complete lateral flow testing twice weekly. These will be provided by the ward.
  
  
• Grandparents and siblings over 12 may visit during a pre-booked time slot following a negative lateral flow test.

 

Visiting on maternity wards:

• Women and birthing people may be asked to complete a test on arrival.
  
  
• Birth partners are able to visit the post-natal wards. Please contact the ward on the day for times and visiting guidance.

 

Visiting to antenatal appointments and ultrasound scans:

• Visitors will no longer need to show a negative lateral flow test.
  
  
• One birth partner will be able to visit during appointments.
  
  
• Visitors must social distance

 

Outpatient visiting:

• Where possible patients should not bring a visitor with them to an outpatient appointment.
  
  
• Visiting will be permitted for those who need additional support from a visitor during their visit.
  
  
• Visitors may be asked to wait in another area depending on social distancing.
  
  

Emergency Department visiting:

• Where possible patients should not bring a visitor with them to the Emergency Department.
  
  
• Visiting will be permitted for those who need additional support from a visitor during their visit.
  
  
• Visitors will be required to wear a mask and may be asked to wait outside or in another area depending on social distancing. If the department is busy we may not be able to facilitate visiting.

 

Supporting our patients and their loved ones: When patients come into hospital or change between wards and departments, our team will make sure they consider reasonable adjustments for those patients who have additional needs such as dementia, learning disabilities or autism. 

• We have visiting restrictions in place, however wards and departments should always be reviewing patients and supporting any of those with additional needs ensuring reasonable adjustments are in place as required. Wards and departments have the flexibility to support patients and their carers as defined in the visiting policy and carers policy.
  
  
• These adjustments should be reviewed on an individual basis based on the needs of the patient at the time. If you have any concerns please speak to the ward or department manager.

If visitors have lateral flow tests available, we would always advise people to complete testing for their own safety and the safety of others.

 

The guidance may change at any time depending on our local COVID-19 situation and hospital response.