Changes to visiting announced for Gloucestershire hospitals

The new arrangements, which will come into effect from Saturday 18 December, mean that open, general visiting to adult wards is suspended. However, visits can be pre-arranged with the wards in certain circumstances, for example on compassionate grounds.

Visiting may also be eased further in special circumstances and where patients would benefit from a carer being with them – for example for ongoing personal, physical, and emotional care and support. This might include patients with learning disabilities, dementia, or other vulnerabilities.

The Trusts ask all visitors, as well as patients attending appointments, to complete a lateral flow test prior to visiting to check their Covid negative status. When visiting the wards, people will be required to wear a hospital-supplied face mask and comply with social distancing and hand hygiene guidance as advised by our staff.

John Trevains, Director of Nursing, Therapies and Quality at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “While this is not an easy decision to take, we know that many patients, carers, and families have now become used to staying in touch in different ways – perhaps by phone or social media. We will always ensure that if there is a particular need for a visit, such as on compassionate grounds and for patients with, for example, dementia, mental health conditions, and learning disabilities, this will be supported on a case by case basis.”

It is important that people of all ages still attend medical appointments and patients can be reassured that, due to careful infection prevention and control procedures, transmission rates in our hospitals remain low. Those attending appointments are encouraged to attend alone whenever possible, to reduce the number of people in hospital buildings.

All visitors are reminded:

• Do not visit healthcare facilities if you have Covid symptoms
• Please use a Lateral flow test to check that you are not Covid positive before visiting. Lateral Flow tests are available to order online or can be collected from your local pharmacy or community – info here
• When visiting, please ensure you wear a hospital supplied face mask at all times
• If you have a medical exemption for wearing a face covering, please consider whether your medical condition makes you more vulnerable to infection if visiting and use digital options where possible
• Social distancing and handwashing remain very important everywhere – particularly in hospitals

The updated arrangements will apply to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH), Cheltenham General Hospital (CGH) and seven community hospitals in the county:

• Cirencester
• The Dilke (Cinderford)
• Lydney
• North Cotswolds (Moreton-in-Marsh)
• Stroud
• Tewkesbury
• The Vale (Dursley)

They are also applicable to the county’s mental health and learning disability inpatient units:

• Wotton Lawn (Gloucester)
• Charlton Lane (Cheltenham)
• Berkeley House (Stroud)
• Laurel House (Cheltenham)
• Honeybourne (Cheltenham)

Adult in-patient settings (including mental health and learning disability inpatient units)

• General visiting to adult wards is currently suspended
• By arrangement with the nurse-in-charge, visiting is allowed for adults who require support in special circumstances by an established carer who is a household member or a member of their support bubble as described below.
• Visiting is encouraged for those receiving bad news or at the end of life. This should be limited to household members or carers. There is no time limit but limited to two individuals.
• Visiting Coronavirus Wards or to patients exposed to Coronavirus is not permitted. It is expected that the majority of those wishing to visit a patient with confirmed Coronavirus would be self-isolating. However, if any requests are made to visit patients with Coronavirus, they must come through the nurse in charge of the ward, who will take advice from the Infection Prevention & Control Team.

To allow us to maintain safe staffing levels across our maternity services, the Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General has been temporarily closed.

All those attending appointments and anyone accompanying them must wear a face covering and comply with social distancing and hand hygiene guidance as advised by staff.

Antenatal and Labour

• 1 birth person can accompany you during certain antenatal appointments, scans, and Maternity Triage appointments
  • This accompanying person must be a household member or a member of a woman’s support bubble
• 1 birth person may accompany you during the induction of labour for 2 hours from the start of induction and then once labour is established (they may have to leave in between)
• 1 birth partner may accompany during the labour (for special circumstances support will be permitted)
• In the event that your birth partner is self-isolating or has Coronavirus, they cannot attend your appointments or labour, so we suggest that you choose an alternative partner who you prepare for this by bringing them into your support bubble or household

Postnatal visiting

• 1 birth partner can visit you each day after you have given birth for a maximum of 2 hours by arrangement with the midwife-in-charge. Visiting times will be allocated by the ward.

Information about the closure of Aveta can be found here

• Visiting is restricted to parents, carers, or guardians only and must be household members or a member of the support bubble.
• Only 2 visitors are allowed per child at any one time. This should be the same 2 visitors on each occasion
• No siblings or other family members should visit
• Only 2 visitors are permitted on the neonatal ward at any one time, this should be parents or guardians only; if parents, both can visit at the same time

Patients can be accompanied in the Emergency Department or Minor Injury and Illness Unit waiting room until they have been seen, then the visitor will be asked to leave unless there’s a specific circumstance to stay.

Patients can be accompanied to an outpatient appointment if there is a need to do so such as supporting with impaired mobility, cognitive impairment or other needs.