North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to welcome visitors back to our wards - but we are reminding visitors of some essential do’s and don’ts if you are visiting patients.
It is important that visitors follow our infection prevention measures to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and themselves.
Do:
- Two people can visit a patient
- Use the hand sanitiser when you enter the hospital
- Use the hand sanitiser when you enter and leave the ward area.
- Wash your hands thoroughly if you visit the toilet.
- Wear a facemask if the person you are visiting is in a ward where we have a covid outbreak.
- Do make sure you are clear of any symptoms before visiting our wards.
- Consider a virtual visit through FaceTime or WhatsApp if you feel ill in any way.
- Check with the ward staff about virtual visiting options.
- Get advice from the ward manager or nurse in charge if the ward you want to visit is managing an outbreak.
Don’t
- Please do not come to hospital if you feel unwell.
- Come to visit a person in hospital if you have symptoms of covid or flu.
- Visit until you are 48 hours clear of any symptoms of sickness or diarrhoea.
- Hesitate to raise any concerns about visiting to the ward manager.
- Visit if you are informed that the ward has a norovirus outbreak.
Nicola Forbes, Infection Prevention Quality Matron at NCIC, explains: “Visiting is an important part of a patient’s recovery and we are keen that people do visit their loved ones while they are in our care. A maximum of two people may visit at a time and we ask all visitors to follow infection prevention measures. Use hand sanitiser before and after visiting a ward and please do not visit if you feel at all unwell.
“If you have had diarrhoea or vomiting, please do not come to any hospital or care facility until you have been clear of symptoms for two full days. This will reduce the risks of transmission of Norovirus to our vulnerable patients and help us to prevent a ward outbreak. Norovirus outbreaks will potentially result in wards being closed to admissions and the suspension of visiting for the duration of the outbreak”
“If an area is in Covid outbreak and you feel it is important to visit, visiting will be supported as long as you are aware of the risks with good infection prevention measures being strongly encouraged (mask wearing and the use of hand sanitisers).”
Visiting times for all adult inpatient units at our main and community hospitals are from 2pm to 4pm and 7pm to 8pm.
Outbreaks will be made clear on the ward hospital pages of our public website here: https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ . Your understanding and cooperation is appreciated.
Any exceptions to any of these visiting arrangements is at the discretion of the Nurse in Charge of the ward at the time – this includes for patients who are at the end of their life and those who require reasonable adjustments due to their condition.
Visiting times for maternity and children’s wards have not changed.