Those who have been in hospital for more than 7 days can, from today (Monday), receive visitors for 1 hour a day as St Mary’s relaxes the strict rules surrounding visitors.
As a result of the COVID pandemic, in order to protect patients, bosses at St Mary’s Hospital in Newport have restricted who can and cannot visit the hospital. Recently this has meant no visitors were permitted at all with some exemptions such as for birth partners, those with additional needs such as dementia and people receiving end of life care.
However, as of today (6th December 2021), the visitor policy is changing and patients on certain wards that have been in hospital for over 7 days will be permitted 1 designated visitor for a pre-booked hour each day between 10:00 and 20:00.
The wards that can welcome visitors are:
- Compton
- Luccombe
- St. Helens
- Stroke Unit
The change comes just days after the Trust was criticised following a rise in the number of complaints about not being able to visit loved ones, as well as the bouncers situated on each entrance.
Councillor Clare Mosdell told a health and social care meeting last week that the restrictions were damaging to the mental health of patients who may not know when they are going to be discharged. Cllr Mosdell said it was also distressing for those who want to visit unwell patients and give them support.
Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing said:
“Keeping our patients safe is our top priority and our visiting restrictions have been important in ensuring those receiving hospital treatment are not put at risk.
“After careful consideration, for our less vulnerable patients who have been in our care for over a week, we know seeing a loved one will be a boost that could support their recovery.
“Our visitor policy is under regular review and we look forward to welcoming more visitors as the NHS continues to deliver its biggest ever vaccination programme.”
For full details of the visitor policy and information on how to book seeing a loved one, visit www.iow.nhs.uk/visiting.
The Security staff on the doors are Not called bouncers, all security haven’t been called that for many years. Please get it right
I will call them what ever I want to call them !!!! Thank you very much.
Even seven days is too long to leave a loved one especially when they are frightened and frail.
One hour a DAY every day would be something but still not adequate for some sick and frightened patients.
It would have caused huge trauma to leave my sick frail loved one at the hospital doors in their time of their greatest need.
This is just not good enough.
Some thing just should not change pandemic or not. Sorry if you disagree.
Don’t apologise you haven’t said anything wrong. Many should agree with you. At the height a test for Covid result that shows you are negative should have been sufficient.
My cousin was in Hospital in Tooting recently and visiting was allowed from Day 1 for 1 hour a day.
St Mary’s Hospital is inhumane.
When people are poorly visits are a form of medicine, as long as the visitor or patient does not have Covid I do not see a problem.
St Mary’s needs to be more compassionate.
Oh and just to let you know that W.H.O. Have just recently stated that the Omicron Covid variation has been detected in 38 Countries. But most importantly NO deaths have been reported. Let’s hope this keeps this way.