Safety measures for healthcare settings have remained in place throughout the pandemic to help us to protect vulnerable people from the spread of infection and maintain safe services. Please read this information carefully.
We expect all visitors to our sites (including community) to:
- Wear a mask while inside the hospital. There are no exemptions to mask wearing on hospital premises.
- Regularly wash your hands and gel. The nurses in the ward and departments will guide you with this.
Please do not attend any of our sites as a visitor if you are unwell.
You may be asked to take a rapid test for COVID-19 (lateral flow). If positive, you will not be allowed to visit.
Community visiting policy
- Two parents or carers may attend appointments with a child.
- We respectfully ask that siblings do not attend.
- If you or your child have confirmed COVID-19 or have been asked to self-isolate, do not attend and please inform us if you are unable to attend.
- Anyone visiting a community site that appears unwell with symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste) will be asked to show a negative PCR test result before being allowed to enter the building. A rapid test (lateral flow test) will not be accepted as this is designed to be used for those without symptoms. PCR tests can be booked locally via the NHS or government websites.
Hospital visiting policy
- For children that need to stay the night, two parents or carers may visit at the same time. We welcome other adult visitors and siblings between 12 noon and 7pm.
- For children staying overnight, only two visitors can be at the bedside at any one time. We ask that visitors swap outside the hospital.
- The team caring for your child will discuss expectations for you to have a COVID-19 test.
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
There are specialist visiting policies where children are receiving intensive care, which will be explained by the team caring for your child. We ask for your understanding that there will be very few exceptions to the policy. When your child is stable, our team will discuss visiting arrangements with you.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
In our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, two named parents or carers are able to be with their baby at any time. On admission, our staff will discuss the need for COVID-19 testing with you. Siblings and other family members may visit at allocated times, please discuss this with the nurse caring for your baby.
Reviewing our policy
Our clinical experts regularly review our visiting policy to make sure we are doing our best to help children and their families to stay safe and to keep as many of our staff as possible well and at work looking after children who need us. Although this means making some difficult decisions, it has worked well and helped to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
See all our latest information about COVID-19.
There have also been some changes to our entrance.
More information about visiting at this time
Our visiting policy during Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19)
This information outlines what is expected of parents/carers during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
It applies to all visitors, including those who have been fully vaccinated.
Help us minimise the risk of infection to you, your child, our staff and vulnerable people within our hospital.
- We are restricting visitors to the hospital and our community sites.
- For appointments, two parents or carers can accompany a child.
- For children who need to stay overnight, each child will have two named parents or carers on our system. Both named parents or carers can visit together.
- Adult visitors and siblings can visit between 12 noon and 7pm. Only 2 visitors can be at a bedside at anytime. Siblings should be accompanied by an adult.
Before visiting
- If you are in a high risk group for COVID-19 please do not visit the hospital. Call the nursing staff.
- If have confirmed COVID-19 or have been asked to self-isolate do not visit the hospital.
- If you become unwell, phone the ward and do not visit the hospital.
- Please follow NHS guidance and self-isolate if you have any COVID-19 symptoms (new onset persistent cough, fever or loss of sense of smell/taste) and book an appointment for a test locally.
While visiting
- Please keep your child’s room or bed area tidy and free from clutter to help us to thoroughly clean the area.
- Make sure you answer the daily screening questions about your health.
- Restrict your movement on the ward and limit the number of times you enter and exit.
- When you enter the hospital, you will be given a facemask to be worn at all times. There are no exemptions from wearing a face mask whilst on the hospital site. You must change your facemask and wash your hands every time you leave and enter the hospital. If you need to change your facemask, please ask the nurse looking after your child to show you where the masks are kept or you can take a fresh mask from the personal protective equipment (PPE) trolley at the entrance of each ward.
- Do not touch the outside of the mask, and clean your hands frequently.
- If your child has suspected or confirmed COVID-19, you will be expected to wear PPE as directed by the nursing staff.
When to wash your hands
- Clean your hands when you enter the ward, before caring for your child, and if you remove or change any PPE you have been asked to wear.
- Wash your hands before meals or feeding your child, after visiting the toilet, and after changing your child’s nappy or helping them use the toilet or bed pan.
- You can clean your hands with the hand sanitiser or wash your hands using soap and water.