Covid-19: new visiting guidance for health settings

The advice - which aims to facilitate visiting during pre or low surge situations - is subject to change should any individual ward or facility have two or more suspected cases of Covid, in which case all visiting will cease.

The new visiting guidance in hospitals commenced today but Trust-run residential homes will be recommencing visiting on a phased approach and all families will be contacted directly regarding this.

The Trust is also providing support to independent care facilities as they reopen to visitors and relatives are advised to link with the care home manager for local arrangements.

The guidance includes the following:

From July 6, all people visiting/attending any health and social care setting will be required to wear face coverings for the foreseeable future. The public will be required to supply their own face covering and will not be permitted to enter the facility without it.

Anyone showing or experiencing the symptoms of Covid-19 or any other infection should not visit, even if these symptoms are mild and unconfirmed.

Each patient may nominate up to two people to visit throughout their hospital stay. (This will differ for care homes). Visiting times are between 2-3pm and 4-5pm daily (excluding maternity), in order to assist the Trust to manage footfall of people.

Only one visitor at a time can visit.

No children under 16 may visit and visits will be a maximum duration of one hour.

Visitors should use the entrance closest to the ward/department they are accessing at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Birth partner/nominated person will be facilitated to accompany the pregnant woman to fetal anomaly scan. Women must attend all other scan appointments in Ante Natal Clinic, Gynae Ward 43 and Fetal Assessment Unit on their own.

Labour Ward/ MLU - Birth partner/nominated person can remain with the woman during active labour and birth.

Post Natal Ward – Partner only will be permitted to visit for 1-hour period. Ward Manager - depending on which room/bed the woman is in to allow for social distancing in four bedded areas - will allocate the time slot. It will be either 2.00pm to 3.00pm or 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

Emergency Department - one person only to accompany patient where the patient is unable to understand or communicate with staff.

Dr Bob Brown, Executive Director of Nursing at the Western Trust, says the new arrangements have been developed to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of patients, communities and staff during a pre or low surge of COVID-19.

“We recognise that this has been a very difficult time for patients and families and we would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding as we implement our new visiting guidance,” he added.

To read the guidance in full, visit www.westerntrust.hscni.net