Allowances for visiting during COVID-19: Ensuring vulnerable patients are able to see loved ones

September 9, 2021

We’d like to remind colleagues that although visiting restrictions remain in place for most inpatients, there are exceptional circumstances where limited visiting is allowed, for example for young patients, those who lack mental capacity and patients who are at the end of their life.

For these patients it is really important – not least as an act of kindness – that we are able to safely facilitate limited visiting rather than adopt a blanket ban, so please if in doubt ask your group for advice.

There are also arrangements in place to allow limited visiting on postnatal wards, a partner to accompany scanning appointments and an additional birthing partner.

It is essential to note that even for these groups visiting is NOT ALLOWED by anyone who is self-isolating, regardless of the circumstances.