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Visiting to wards

December 6, 2021

We are aware that there is some inconsistency in the advice colleagues are giving people who wish to visit inpatients, so would like to be very clear about what our rules are. Please read and understand what visitors are expected to do to ensure they can visit their loved ones safely. Visitors given conflicting advice can understandably get very upset in what is already a situation of high emotion being separated from their friend or family member. Please be kind and ensure you give them the correct information below to allow them to visit safely.

The following points summarise our rules and are for those wards where visiting is allowed. Red and green areas, (D17, D21, D25, L2 and L3) and some community wards where visiting is not allowed due to infection prevention and control measures, should ensure robust systems remain in place to support communication between patients and their loved ones.

To visit a ward:

  • Visitors must prove either photographic evidence of a negative lateral flow test (done the same day they wish to visit) or provide evidence from the government website where they uploaded their results. Their evidence will be checked on entrance to the site, not the ward.
  • If prospective visitors cannot evidence a negative lateral flow test they will not be permitted to visit.
  • Colleagues should be aware that enabling someone to tailgate behind you as you enter the building through a staff only entrance is a breach of IPC rules, and could cause transmission of the virus. Do not hold the door for someone to enter without a staff ID card.
  • The Trust cannot provide lateral flow tests or accommodate visitors who wish to do a lateral flow test on site.
  • Visiting restrictions allow inpatients in amber areas to receive one visitor for up to 30 minutes per day. Patients can nominate two individuals who can visit for the duration of their stay, ideally from the same household.
  • Visitors must use hand sanitiser and wear a face mask on entry.
  • All visits must be booked in advance by telephoning the ward to allow wards to limit the number of visitors on a ward/bay at any one time.
  • All visitors must be free of COVID-19 symptoms, and must not attend if they are a household contact of a COVID-19 positive case. We regret children (under 16 years) or those who are immunocompromised are not allowed to visit at this time.

The current visiting arrangements for paediatrics, maternity and ICU remain in place. Our usual exemptions apply for inpatient children, those at end of life and people who lack mental capacity. We will review visiting arrangements weekly based on a risk assessment taking into account COVID-19 case rates in the community and numbers of COVID-19 cases in our hospitals.