Further relaxing of visiting is being introduced for patients at hospitals across the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust from Monday 17 May 2021.
While patients have been able to designate a visitor after they had stayed longer than seven days on Ward 6 and Abbey View at Furness General Hospital, Millom community hospital and at the Huggett suite and wards 20, 22, 23 at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Visiting will now open to patients across Morecambe Bay who have stayed longer than seven days on any adult hospital wards (including if they transfer to one of our hospitals).
Visits will be limited to three per week and each patient will initially have one designated visitor. This is to protect patients, visitors and staff during the ongoing pandemic.
Visiting to the organisation's hospital sites throughout the pandemic has been permitted for the following situations:
- Patients at the end of life
- Those who are providing care for a loved one as part of the “Johns Campaign” for people with dementia
- Parents/guardians of children
- Birthing partners
- Exceptional circumstances (e.g. breaking bad news/extreme phobias)
Sue Smith, Executive Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive for the Trust said: "We recognise the beneficial and therapeutic nature of visiting on patients.
"Our initial trial has been successful, so we are opening this up to more people. We will keep this under review with a view to opening up visiting still further as circumstances allow."
To ensure large groups of visitors are not arriving at the hospitals at the same time and enable social distancing guidance to be followed, wards are offering staggered visiting times. To find out more about visiting times on each ward and to organise a visit, loved ones should ring the ward their loved one is staying in, or the main hospital switchboard number (01539 732288) and they will be transferred to the appropriate ward/department.
The ward clerk will directly book visitor requests. Bookings will be taken between the hours of 10am and 12pm Monday to Friday. Patients will only be allowed one designated visitor and only one booking at a time can be made other than a Friday when arrangements for weekend and the following Monday can be made.
Visitors will be advised to complete Lateral Flow Tests (ordered through the national government system) and complete twice weekly testing during weeks that they are visiting their loved ones. While the Trust will not ask, we would ask for the public's co-operation to protect our staff and our patients.
Visitors are required to wear surgical masks (unless exempt) at all times and regularly wash their hands or use hand sanitiser - especially on arrival and leaving the ward areas.
Information sheets will be available on the ward and at the main entrances for visitors to support them in visiting safely.
If anyone has any queries, they can contact the Trust Patient Advice and Liaison Team on 01539 715577.