Loved ones play a vital role in providing much needed support to our patients during their stay in hospital, or when accompanying them to the emergency department or appointments.
In April 2024, the Care Quality Commission published updated guidance which further promotes the positive effect loved ones have on patients during their time in hospital. Recognising that they play an important part in keeping patients moving, reducing deterioration and improving health outcomes.
With that in mind, we are pleased to announce that we will be extending visiting hours for some wards and departments across the Trust. You can find out more about the updated visiting rules using the drop-down arrows below.
Before and during your visit, please remember:
- Not to visit a loved one if you have been suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting or flu-like symptoms within the last 72 hours.
- To wash your hands before and after your visit, using either warm soapy water or hand gel.
- To be considerate of our patients who will either be receiving, or recovering from, treatment and to please keep noise to a minimum.
- Loved ones will be able to visit between 8am-10pm, seven days a week.
- To ensure we can safely manage the number of visitors on the ward, each patient can receive a maximum of two visitors at a time.
- If your loved one is receiving end-of-life care, or you are a patient carer, please speak to the ward who will be able to discuss arrangements for visiting outside of these hours.
- Loved ones will be able to visit a patient on wards 10 and 11 between 8am-10pm, seven days a week.
- When planning your visit, please be mindful of patients’ mealtimes which are: 9-10am, 12noon-1pm, 5-6pm
- If your loved one is receiving end-of-life care, or you are a patient carer, please speak to the ward who will be able to discuss arrangements for visiting outside of these hours.
- Children will be able to have visitors between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
- Due to a lack of available space on the ward, only one parent will be able to stay with their child overnight.
- When in active labour: Two nominated birth partners are able to accompany the service user at the same time in birth rooms on the consultant-led unit (CLU) and midwife-led unit (MLU).
- During an elective caesarean section: One nominated birth partner can accompany the service user from admission and can remain with them during theatre and through recovery, and the transfer to the postnatal ward.
- Visiting on Dacre and Gloucester wards: One nominated birth partner can stay with the service user throughout their time on the antenatal (pre-birth) and postnatal (after birth) wards. They can also come and go from the wards.
- Additional visitors for those on Dacre and Gloucester wards: Two visitors (in addition to the nominated birth partner) can visit between 3-9pm. We are asking visitors to be mindful of mealtimes when planning their visit – this is 5-6pm for Dacre and Gloucester wards.
- Neonatal unit visiting: Parents of a child/children, as well as siblings, can attend 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Additional visitors to the neonatal unit: Two additional visitors can visit babies staying in our neonatal unit between 2-6pm, seven days a week.
- Antenatal appointments: One nominated birth partner can attend antenatal appointments with the service user. They can also attend the day assessment unit and maternity triage.
- A patient visiting the emergency department can have one other person accompany them.
- A patient attending an outpatient appointment at any of our hospital sites can have one other person accompany them.
- If a patient is having a procedure, we will be unable to accommodate loved ones in the procedure room unless the patient requires a carer to receive safe treatment. In these circumstances, please speak to the nursing staff who will be able to provide support and advice.
- Due to limited space, day case patients receiving cancer treatment at the Systemic-Anti Cancer Treatment (SACT) units based at either the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre and the Lister Macmillan Cancer Centre are unfortunately unable to bring a loved one with them whilst they receive treatment in the chemotherapy suite/LMCC.
- If a patient needs a carer to facilitate safe treatment, please speak to the staff at the unit who will be able to provide advice and support.
- Due to limited space, renal patients receiving haemodialysis at one of our renal satellite units are unfortunately unable to bring a loved one with them whilst they receive treatment.
- If the patient needs a carer with them to facilitate safe treatment, please speak to the staff at the unit who will be able to provide advice and support.
Please note: There may be instances where we need to restrict visiting to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe. For example, in the event of there being an infectious respiratory illness on the ward. In these situations, ward staff will provide an option for alternative visiting arrangements and information will be shared with you by the ward staff at the time. If we do need to restrict visiting, we will assess this regularly and will lift restrictions as soon as possible.
