Keep our hospitals safe - visiting

To keep our patients and staff safe from infection risks, we need to continue limiting access to all our sites in line with the national NHS guidance. This page explains more about our current visiting policy and other arrangements in place to support patients at this time.

Visiting our sites

You should only visit our hospitals if you are:

  • A patient with an appointment
  • A carer, chaperone or relative of a patient
    (Negative COVID tests are also required if visiting some areas - see the relevant sections below for full details)

Please do not attend our hospitals if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19, have any symptoms of COVID-19 or share a household with someone who has symptoms. Instead, contact your specialist team – do not attend hospital unless they advise you to do so. Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Temperature or fever (over 37.8°C) in the last 48 hours
  • A new persistent cough in the last 48 hours
  • Loss or change to sense of smell or taste
  • Other symptoms which may be associated with the Delta variant – sore throat, cold symptoms, headaches, diarrhoea or vomiting

    Anyone who lives in the same house as someone who has developed the above symptoms or has had a positive COVID-19 test in the last 14 days is also asked not to attend unless advised to do so by their specialist team.

Arrangements for inpatients

Visiting inpatients

  • Inpatients can now have two named visitors. Visits should be booked in advance. (Matrons/ward managers can use discretion to allow additional visitors in exceptional circumstances.)
  • Visitors to Wards 2 and 3 are encouraged to do a lateral flow test before visiting – either on the day of your visit or twice-weekly if visiting regularly.
  • Visitors to Wards 4 & 5 are required to do a lateral flow test before visiting – either on the day of your visit or twice-weekly if visiting regularly. If you haven't done a lateral flow test before you arrive, the ward staff will provide one. You will need to wait in a dedicated area until you get the result.
  • Ward 1 (Day Unit) and Clinical Decisions Unit (CDU) - see the section below on arrangements for daycase & outpatients.

Other arrangements to support inpatients

We have special arrangements in place to support inpatients while visiting restrictions are in place:

If you don’t have access to email, please speak to the ward.

Arrangements for daycase patients & outpatients (incl Ward 1 Day Unit & Clinical Decisions Unit)

This information is for patients coming to hospital for consultations, diagnostic tests, treatment (e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy), procedures or any other daycase/outpatient care.

Patients should attend their appointment alone where possible but you can bring one chaperone if appropriate. For example:

  • If you will be discussing test results or your treatment plan
  • If you have any additional communication needs such as autism, dementia, English is not your first language or you have a hearing impairment

We encourage anyone accompanying a patient to their appointment to do a lateral flow test beforehand if possible.

If you (or a member of your household) have recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your specialist team. Don’t attend hospital unless they advise you to do so.