Visitors to St. Mary’s Hospital and the wider hospital grounds continue to be restricted to help protect patients and staff from COVID-19.
Over recent weeks the number of people arriving at the hospital wanting to visit relatives and friends or enjoy onsite facilities such as the shop and cafe has increased. This has meant that staff have, reluctantly, had to turn visitors away on arrival.
Chief Nurse, Mary Aubrey said:
“Whilst we fully understand that patients and relatives desperately want to see their family members, the health and safety of everyone must come first. This includes people wanting to enjoy our onsite refreshments.
“We recognise how important it is for our patients and their loved ones to stay in touch during this difficult time and there are ways that families can still have contact but we must continue to restrict visiting and be vigilant and protect our patients whilst coronavirus is in general circulation.”
People wanting to visit a person in hospital will only be considered in exceptional circumstances where one visitor – an immediate family member or carer – will be permitted to visit. This arrangement should be discussed and agreed in advance with the Ward Sister and the visitor will be issued with a valid permission to visit card.
To help families and loved ones stay connected with people in hospital, each ward has a telephone system in place so patients can use an iPad or mobile phone to contact loved ones. The Trust has also been running a Message to Loved Ones Service and an Essential Items delivery service via the main reception.
People attending hospital appointments should attend alone unless in exceptional circumstances in which case one carer is permitted. People are asked to provide their appointment letter on arrival and Marshals are located at the main hospital entrances to ensure the reason for their visit is valid.
Mary Aubrey continued:
“Our careful visiting policy has been in place throughout the pandemic and is under continuous review. As soon as we feel it is safe to relax measures we will look forward to welcoming visitors back to the hospital site but, in the meantime, we ask people for their understanding and support as we continue to take all necessary precautions to keep people safe.”
I realise this will not be a popular view with some people but things have changed a lot since this rule was brought in last year.
We have more PPE, better treatments, vaccines and a much better understanding of the virus.
Total elimination of covid is never going to happen so double vaccination is the best they are going to get so surely there is some leeway for a bit more flexibility and relaxation of these restrictions?
Forcing families to pick which of them doesn’t get the chance to visit a dying loved one is cruel and, I would argue, no longer necessary.
That is all true but NHS staff my friend included as an Icu lead have been told in no uncertain terms no holidays August/September preparing for another wave. Sadly I think these rules willbe in force a while longer
“or enjoy on site facilities” wtf…. why are some people so thick?
You’re so right, and not forgetting the valuable parking spaces they are taking up. WTF indeed !!!!!
Perhaps there are no cafes/toilets in the whole of Newport ???
Well seeing as no NHS staff are allowed any holidays during August and September because they are expecting another total lockdown. Yes I can understand this.
Where did you get this “information” ?
Overheard a conversation between to “High Up” NHS staff, need I say more. The lower orders probably don’t know anything, yet.
Me thinks, you speak with forked tongue…. innit
Isn’t the fact that no flu was around in the winter proof that social distancing and mask wearing in public places worked? usually it is hazardous travelling on buses with people coughing and sneezing out into the air without a thought to who they might be spreading their germs to, but been so better in recent times, but now people are getting cavalier again. If only people in this country were brought up to be good mannered and considerate towards others, how it used to be, and how it still is in some countries.
To right. You can’t have people walking into hospitals thinking just because they’ve had the jab they can enter the wards. It only takes a few that haven’t and the consequences could quite easily be an increase in positive cases. This would be a disaster. Staff and patients must be protected.