Sent: 22 October 2020
Subject: Important announcement: changes to visiting patients at the Trust
Dear all,
Sadly due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the community and in the hospital, in order to protect our patients and staff we have taken the difficult decision to restrict visiting as below.
From Friday 23 October, visiting will only be permitted in the following circumstances and PPE must be worn. I wonder if you can share this within your own networks and any support groups you may be members of so we can be as clear as possible with everyone and not have to disappoint people if they turn up to the hospital hoping to visit. Many thanks for your support with this.
Amanda Nash
Head of Communications
Visiting a patient
Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the community and in the hospital, in order to protect our patients and staff we have taken the difficult decision to restrict visiting as below. From Friday 23 October, visiting will only be permitted in the following circumstances and PPE must be worn:
General areas
· Patients in the final days of life will be able to receive visitors on compassionate grounds
· One carer who is supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism, where them not being present would cause the patient to be distressed
Paediatrics areas
· In paediatrics and on our neonatal unit, both parents/guardians will be permitted to visit their child together, social distancing permitted.
· The exception to this will be the Emergency Department where due to lack of space, only one parent/guardian can be accommodated. Social distancing will be monitored by staff.
· Unfortunately only one parent will be allowed into children’s theatres, due to lack of space, and sadly siblings are not able to visit at this time.
Maternity ward
- One nominated individual per patient will be allocated a 2-hour time slot to see women who have given birth in our postnatal ward
- Single birthing partnerwill be able to stay during your time on central delivery suite.
- A nominated individual is able to attend the early scan (undertaken at approximately 12 weeks gestation and also referred to as the dating or screening scan)
- A nominated individual is able to attend the anomaly scan (18-20 weeks gestation) with expectant mothers. This will mean that for both routine scans, someone can attend alongside expectant Mums.
- A birth partner can join expectant Mums when they attend for assessment because they are possibly in labour.
Dropping off patient property during suspended visiting
If you are dropping off property for an inpatient, please do not go to the ward. Please drop any bags or items to the Hub on Level 6 of Derriford Hospital – Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 16:00 each day and during the weekend to the Parking Desk between 10:00-14:00.
The Hub is located adjacent to Warrens Bakery on level 6, and can be clearly identified as the ‘glass office’. The Parking Desk is located immediately on your left as you enter the main entrance to Derriford Hospital.
The team will place items into a secure location to keep them safe until they are collected by a member of staff from the ward, who will deliver them to the patient.
Please ensure that any items that you bring are inside a bag which is clearly labelled with the patient’s full name and ward. To ensure we can track patient belongings you will also be asked to complete a simple form which includes your contact details. As usual, please try to avoid bringing valuables or large sums of money into hospital.
Thank you for helping us to keep our patients and staff as safe as possible.