Visiting someone in hospital

Please read the information below regarding our visiting process.

• Anyone showing any symptoms of Covid-19, or feel unwell in any way should not visit, even if these symptoms are mild or intermittent, due to the risk they pose to others.
• Visitors are strictly limited to two visitors per patient per visit. This can be two adults or one adult and one child.
• Visiting hours are between 11am - 8pm from Monday to Sunday, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  The length of visits will be at the ward managers discretion, please contact the ward for further information.

There are different arrangements in place for visiting Maternity wards or visiting children who are in hospital, and in circumstances where patients are reaching the end of their life. 

There is also a limited visiting policy in place on Critical Care - please contact the relevant ward and they will be able to advise further.

Please do not enter the hospital if you have symptoms of Covid-19.

Adult inpatient visiting

As the Trust’s priority is to provide quality care for our patients, we recognise the important role families and other ‘partners in care’ can play in helping to improve our patients’ wellbeing and experience. 

All three hospitals in the Trust will have the same open visiting between the hours (11am to 8pm) meaning that people can visit patients when they wish between these times. It provides the opportunity for the carers of patients to remain with their loved one, where appropriate, and be actively involved in their care.  

Two visitors may attend; this may be two adults or one adult and one child at the same time. Visitors will no longer be required to wear a face mask unless visiting a patient with a suspected or confirmed respiratory infection. The ward clinical staff will advise.

As usual, visiting will be restricted on wards where we have patients with infections. The ward/department manager or nurse in charge will advise of any visiting restrictions in place on the ward.

Please note that visiting at the ICU will differ from the above and visitors will be asked to contact the unit for the visiting times.

Visiting in exceptional circumstances

There will be special exceptions for visitors in the following circumstances where more flexible visiting will be supported:

• Immediate family members/partners of those at end of life.
• Carers for patients who require assistance, e.g. supporting someone with a mental health condition, dementia, delirium, a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed.
• Patients may be accompanied where appropriate and necessary to assist their communication and/or to meet their health, religious or spiritual care needs.
• Visiting will be suspended on wards that have outbreaks of COVID-19 for 7 days from the last hospital associated case. The person in charge of the ward will advise on when visiting can be reinstated.

Visitors' charter

Please download a copy of our Visitors' Charter [pdf] 38KB. It sets out guidelines that both staff and visitors need to adhere to and explains what you can expect from us during your visit and what we would like from you in return.

Visitor boards

Each ward and department now has an ‘Information for visitors’ board designed to include useful information for visitors to our hospitals. The displays include details of the ward, information about the discharge process, information for carers and support for our patients. The same information can be found on various pages of this website. Alongside this information we also highlight some improvements the Trust has made and a monthly overview of the ward's performance in relation to quality and safety of care.