Visiting Restrictions
(In place from 11.59pm as of 20 October)
Applicable to all of our hospital sites:
- Two visitors per patient at any one time from 11am to 8pm.
- All visitors are encouraged to wear a mask.
- Visitors may be asked screening questions for COVID-19 upon arrival to your ward or service (Questions – are you symptomatic of COVID-19, have you been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 within the past few days).
- Visitors are asked to call ahead wherever possible.
Restrictions apply as follows:
- Non-COVID patients – A general visiting period between 11am and 8pm will be adopted (to avoid overcrowding). Patients will be allowed up to two visitors at any one time. We will ask families to coordinate this as best as they can and reduce the number of people coming into the hospital. We will also ask staff to manage as best as they can to avoid any crowding within bay areas. This includes non-elective work. As usual, visitors will be asked to wear a mask, and should be asked if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 before entry.
- COVID-19 patients – To reduce any potential for further outbreaks, COVID-19 positive patients will be allowed one nominated visitor whenever they are still testing positive for the illness – again between the hours of 11am and 8pm. Visitors will be asked to wear a mask at all times. If the patient is undergoing any aerosol generating procedures, they should be provided with, and ask to wear, a hood.
- Paediatric care – For full guidance, please head to: https://www.dbth.nhs.uk/…/paediatric-neonatal-services…/
- Maternity services – For full guidance, please head to: https://www.dbth.nhs.uk/…/maternity-services-visiting…/
- Emergency Department and Outpatient appointments– Patients attending for appointments or an emergency visit can be accompanied by one other person. As usual visitors will be asked to wear a mask.
- Patients having elective surgery (inpatient and day surgery) – We do continue with some restrictions for those undergoing planned inpatient surgery and ask families and friends to stay in touch via electronic means where possible. We are supporting two visitors per patient per day between 11am and 8pm. Visitors must remember that many patients undergoing planned surgery are clinically vulnerable and at high risk should they develop COVID in the postoperative period. We would ask that if visitors have any symptoms of COVID, feel generally unwell or have been in contact with someone who has COVID or has symptoms of COVID, that they don’t attend as a visitor to the elective wards.
- Post surgery – Two visitors per patient for each patient between hours of 11am to 8pm, however we would ask visits to be kept as short as possible. Visitors are asked to Lateral Flow Test if possible.
- Complex needs patients – Two visitors at anyone time, however, open access for two nominated carers of patients with complex needs, those on palliative care, have learning disabilities, dementia, autism or a mental health need, beyond the normal hours of 11am to 8pm.
- End of life care – Two visitors at the bedside at any one time, however this can be rotated, open visiting beyond the hours of 11am and 8pm.
- Children and siblings – Can visit where two visitors are permitted, and must be accompanied by an adult.
The Family Liaison Service and Personal Property Exchange
The Family Liaison Service and Personal Property Exchange are two ways that you can reach a loved one who is staying within our hospitals whilst visiting restrictions are in place. Please visit: www.dbth.nhs.uk/news/family-liaison-service/ to find out more.
Appointments at the Trust during COVID-19
If you have received communication for the Trust asking you to attend an appointment on our hospital sites, please do so. If you cannot, for whatever reason, please call ahead with plenty of time, so your appointment can be rearranged and the previous time given to another patient.
Please note, if your appointment is virtual please access this as instructed.
Looking for information on digital letters and DrDoctor? Click here.
Your safety is our primary concern and colleagues are undertaking regular clean-downs of our sites to minimise any risk of infection.
Please adhere to the following if you are coming to our hospitals for an appointment:
- If you have COVID-19: Please call ahead to your service – if your appointment is urgent, the team will discuss if your attendance can be safely accommodated. If it is not, we will rearrange your visit.
- If someone you live with has COVID-19: You may still attend, however you must not have any symptoms, and must undertake a lateral flow test before arrival.
- Can I come with someone else? For those attending for an appointment, one individual may accompany.
- Feeling under the weather? If you have a cough, cold, diarrhoea, vomiting or a temperature, you could have an infection and may risk passing this on to our patients. Please do not visit the hospital if you are feeling under the weather and delay your visit.
- Face covering: All visitors to the Trust must wear an appropriate face covering – if you cannot for medical reason we will offer you a visor. If you don’t wear a covering we will ask you to leave.
Entering the hospital:
- Please ensure you are wearing a suitable face covering – failure to do so may mean you will be refused entry.
- Wash your hands upon entry to our hospitals.
Please note, to minimise any chance of cross-infection we have reconfigured our hospital sites. This means that you may need to enter the hospital via a different entrance. Please read your appointment letter or email carefully, ensuring you are using the correct entry. If in any doubt, please ask a member of staff who should be able to help.
We aim to make your visit to hospital as easy as possible. In this section you will find details of how to find and get around our various hospital sites, patient information and leaflets and other useful items.
Our staff are more than happy to help, so if you do have any questions regarding your visit that we haven’t answered, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you would like information regarding a ward or department, you can find out more on our services page. All hospitals are required to publish information about the actual and planned staffing levels on all our nursing and midwifery wards on a shift by shift basis, to view our most recent report please click here.
If you’ve been a patient at our hospitals recently, we would like to know your views on the care you received. We’re asking everyone who has stayed overnight in hospital or visited Accident & Emergency or the minor injuries unit to tell us how likely they are to recommend us to their friends and family. This ‘Friends & Family Test’ (FFT) is a good way for hospitals to measure patient satisfaction with the care they are provided and the results will be published nationally. Please ask a member of staff for the FFT questionnaire.
If you would like to send a special ‘thank you’ to a member of our staff for their efforts, kindness and compassion, or alternatively to raise a concern, contact the team here.
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