Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) has this afternoon announced changes to visiting in Acute, Community and Mental Health Inpatient Facilities from 9.00am on 1 January 2022.
Visiting arrangements for Maternity, Paediatric and Neonatal Units remain unchanged.
Full visiting details, published by the NHSCT, below:
Acute and Community Hospitals
One nominated person can visit twice a week where this can be accommodated within COVID secure environments. Prior arrangement with ward nurse in charge is essential.
Where the person visiting requires assistance, they should inform the ward at the time of booking and discuss in advance with the nurse in charge.
ICU (no change)
One nominated person may visit on alternate days. Prior arrangement with ward nurse in charge is essential.
Maternity (effective from Monday 18 October 2021 and no further change)
We would request that your partner/visitor take a Lateral Flow Test prior to attendance at hospitals. Please do not attend if the test is positive and follow Department of Health guidance.
Outpatients
You can be accompanied by your partner or nominated other to:
-Pregnancy related appointments and ultrasound scans
-Attendances to Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit
-Attendances to Fetal Maternal Assessment Unit
*Your partner may be asked to wait in the car until your appointment to keep footfall to a minimum.
Labour and Birth (no change)
A chosen birth partner will be facilitated to accompany you for induction of labour, duration of labour and birth and for up to three hours after the birth. Unfortunately, the Induction of Labour Bay does not support 2m social distancing when fully occupied however, your individual circumstances and the number of women within the bay will be considered at the time.
Inpatient Maternity Services (no change)
Visiting can be facilitated on the antenatal and postnatal wards, with the following principles in place:
-One daily visit from one of two nominated individuals (from up to two households) can be permitted, where this can be accommodated within COVID secure environments.
-If your birth partner/ nominated other becomes unwell or has symptoms of COVID-19, another person can be nominated
-Visits to wards should be for a maximum duration of 1 hour. Any exception to this must be agreed with the midwife in charge.
-The time of this visit should be agreed with the midwife in charge.
-Alternatives, for example, outdoor visiting, virtual visits, should continue to be made available.
This guidance is subject to change and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Paediatric and Neonatal (no change)
Any child admitted can be accompanied by one parent or caregiver at all times for the duration of the stay.
Mental Health and Learning Disability
One nominated person can visit twice a week where this can be accommodated within COVID secure environments or more, where deemed necessary to support the mental health and wellbeing of the patient.
Prior arrangement with ward staff is essential.
Emergency Departments, X-Ray and Day Procedure Units (no change)
In order to maintain a COVID-19 secure environment and to prevent overcrowding, patients can only be accompanied where the patient is unable to understand or communicate with staff or is critically ill.
Outpatient Departments (no change)
Patients may only be accompanied where the patient is unable to understand or communicate with staff or is critically ill.
Cancer and Renal Unit (no change)
Patients may only be accompanied where the patient is unable to understand or communicate with staff or is critically ill.
We would encourage all visitors to wear a face covering and undertake LFD self-testing (twice a week, every 3 to 4 days) prior to visiting, not only to protect themselves but also importantly to help protect their loved ones who are currently in hospital.
Please read more about availability of Lateral Flow Testing for hospital visitors.
All visiting is by appointment only and visitors must contact the ward nurse in charge to arrange the visit. Please be aware that wards will be experiencing high volume of calls and we would ask the public to be patient with staff.
Visitors will be asked to give contact information for track and trace and adhere to all COVID-19 guidance.
Ministers of Faith should contact the relevant ward to organise their visit. We would request that Ministers of Faith visit only the patient of concern and not visit a number of patients during their attendance at any Trust facility.
Our first priority must continue to be to limit exposure to known Covid-19 therefore local decisions will be required regarding maintaining a COVID-19 secure environment.
Virtual visiting is still the first preference and will be accommodated.
Anyone showing or experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 or any other infection should not visit, even if these symptoms are mild and unconfirmed.
Similarly, those who have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID should not visit.
In these circumstances the individual should remain at home and follow the latest public health advice on self-isolation and testing.
Changes in visiting frequency will be reviewed again on 5 January 2022.