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We have a policy of open visiting on our wards and in our departments.
We understand patient care is supported by involving and recognising the invaluable role and contribution that family, friends, next of kin, and carers provide.
This visitors’ charter outlines what you can expect from us and what we kindly ask of you when you visit our hospital. The DBTH Way demonstrates the standard of care and experience our people, patients, and visitors should expect from any of our colleagues.
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The Visitors’ Charter
Expectations of our colleagues
- Be professional, polite, and courteous to you.
- Be supportive of family, friends, next of kin, and carers who wish to participate in care.
Visitors – we ask you to:
- Agree visiting times with other loved ones to ensure that no more than two people visit at any one time (in exceptional circumstances this can be discussed with the nurse in charge and alternative arrangements agreed).
- Be responsive to any requests from colleagues to leave the area during times when privacy and dignity need to be maintained for the person you are visiting or other patients within the vicinity.
- We welcome visitors at mealtimes if you are visiting to assist your loved one to eat their meal. Please feel free to eat your own food with your loved one. Our colleagues can direct you to facilities for refreshments during these times as required.
- Provide essential personal items like toiletries, dentures, hearing aids, glasses, suitable clothing and footwear—these items will help provide comfort and familiarity.
- Inform colleagues of any specific needs that the patient has and if you would like to assist with providing any care (with the patient’s permission). Ask colleagues about the “carer’s agreement”.
Expectations of our colleagues
- Do our best to create a calm and restful environment to help our patients recover.
- Keep noise to a minimum at night.
Visitors – we ask you to:
- Please be aware of the need for your loved one and others to rest whilst in hospital by avoiding loud noises/conversations.
- Talk to the nurse in charge if you plan to bring young children to visit. If children visit, supervise them at all times and do not allow them to run around or climb on the beds.
- Take breaks away from the bedside, to allow the patient time to rest – do not feel you have to be there all the time. Our colleagues can direct you to facilities for refreshments during these times.
Expectations of our colleagues
- Ensure that facilities for hand hygiene are readily available.
- Work hard to provide a clean hospital environment.
- Do all we can to protect patients from infection.
Visitors – we ask you to:
- Please do not visit if you are unwell and stay away from the hospital for at least 48 hours after your last episode of diarrhoea and vomiting. If in doubt, please phone the ward for advice before visiting.
- Please follow our infection control instructions to keep you and others safe.
- Please wash your hands on entering and leaving the ward.
- Please use the visitor chairs provided and avoid sitting on patient’s beds.
- Please use visitors’ toilets. Our colleagues can direct you as required.
- Assist your loved one to keep the bed space tidy to enable our colleagues to clean effectively.
- Refrain from smoking cigarettes or e-cigarettes/vaping in the hospital or in our grounds. Observe our trust no smoking policy which includes e-cigarettes/vaping.
Expectations of our colleagues
- Keep family members, loved ones and carers informed of any information with the patient’s permission, including arranging for you to speak to a member of the medical team.
- Listen to visitor’s comments and feedback, and act where appropriate.
- May use electronic devices when delivering care.
Visitors – we ask you to:
- Understand and respect that information cannot be given out unless the patient has given their permission.
- Talk to the nurse in charge if you have not been given enough information.
- Recognise due to care priorities you may have to wait to speak to medical colleagues.
- Offer us feedback about the care the patient is receiving and act upon such as if our people find your behaviour to be aggressive.
- Avoid, where possible, disturbing nursing colleagues when they are delivering care to other patients or administering medicines.
Expectations of our colleagues
- Keep patients, colleagues and visitors safe by acting when we see measures put in place to reduce risks to ourselves or others are not complied with
- Maintain the position aggression and or violence is not considered to be an acceptable part of any working situation. We recognises our duty to provide a safe and secure working environment for our people and will take the necessary action to support our people.
Visitors – we ask you to:
- Consider the impact of your actions and behaviours on the person you are visiting, other patients, visitors, and colleagues.
- Be considerate to colleagues if you are asked to change the way you are acting or behaving, such as if colleagues find your behaviour to be aggressive.
- Please do not use electronic devices to film our people or other patients without prior consent.
A British Sign Language (BSL) version of the charter is available below.
If you need to raise something
We know that when things go wrong you want us to act quickly to put them right. If you are not happy with something:
- Speak to the Ward Manager or Matron. In most cases, colleagues will be able to deal with your concerns there and then.
- If this is not possible or your concerns are not resolved after speaking to our colleagues, contact the Patients Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net or 01302 642764.
- Feedback is important, please help us to improve care for the next patient. Rate and review care at: dbh.iwgc.net.
Tel: (01302) 642764
Freephone: 0800 028 8059
Email: dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net
Feedback is important please help us to improve care for the next patient. Rate and review care at: dbh.iwgc.net
Your feedback on this Charter
This document was developed with input from colleagues, patients and stakeholders.
You can offer your feedback on the DBTH Visitor’s Charter by heading to this short form here.
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