Visiting restrictions eased further at hospitals in Herefordshire

Wye Valley NHS Trust has eased visiting arrangements further at its hospitals which means that inpatients can now have one daily visit from a family member/friend over the age of 16 years from the first day of their hospital stay, and it can be a different visitor each day and they no longer need to nominate a single visitor.

The Trust has also updated its visiting times to enable social distancing to be maintained and the new arrangements still require each visit to be arranged in advance with the nurse in charge.

This applies to the general wards at Hereford County Hospital and the three community hospitals at Ross-on-Wye, Leominster and Bromyard.

Lucy Flanagan, Director of Nursing at the Trust, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to expand our visiting arrangements to support patients to their loves ones during their hospital stay.

“All we ask is that any visit is booked with the nurse in charge first and visitors will be required to wear a surgical mask and maintain good hand hygiene. Patients will also be required to wear a surgical mask during the visit if clinically appropriate.

“Unfortunately, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to visit, unless they are attending in a caring capacity. However, a parent with babes-in-arms (up to 1 year of age), who is visiting one of the areas below, in line with the visiting restrictions in place, will be supported to do so.

“Importantly, anyone with a COVID positive test or showing symptoms of coronavirus or if they feel unwell with another illness must not visit our hospitals or wards, even if these symptoms are mild or intermittent, due to the risk they pose to others.

“We know how important these visits are to patients and their family and we would like to thank everyone for their understanding while we have these measures in place for the safety of our patients.

The updated visiting arrangements at the Trust’s hospitals are:

Please note – children under the age of 16 are not allowed to visit, unless they are attending in a caring capacity. However, ‘a parent’, with babes-in-arms (up to 1 year of age), who is visiting one of the areas, in line with the visiting restrictions in place, will be supported to do so.

If have a COVID positive test or are showing symptoms of coronavirus, fell unwell, you must not visit the hospitals or wards.