NHS Grampian to reintroduce hospital visiting
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The gradual reintroduction of visiting at hospital sites in Grampian will begin next week it has been confirmed.
NHS Grampian said that from Monday, July 13 the phased reintroduction will begin at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Ward at Dr Gray’s Hospital and at all maternity units across the area.
In children’s wards, each patient will be able to receive one designated visitor by appointment as part of the new temporary arrangement.
For maternity services, the current restrictions on partners will be relaxed, also from Monday 13.
The partner or a nominated family member will be able to accompany mums-to-be to their scan and antenatal outpatient appointments, as well as attending the labour and birth.
Partners will also be welcome to visit on the postnatal wards.
In addition to Children’s and Maternity areas, from Monday 13, the one designated visitor policy will be introduced in the following other areas:
Speciality - Week commencing July 13.
Surgical Wards - Designated visitors arranged for patients who have been in hospital for more than 14 days.
Medical Wards - Designated visitors arranged for patients who have been in hospital for more than 14 days.
Haematology / Oncology Wards - Designated visitors arranged for patients who have been in hospital for more than 14 days.
Critical Care Wards - Limited visiting with individual plans dependant on clinical needs.
Roxburghe House - Piloting process for designated visitor for each patient.
Dr Gray’s Hospital - Designated visitors arranged for patients who have been in hospital for more than 14 days.
Visiting will be gradually reintroduced for all other sites in the coming days and weeks.
The new arrangements are also in addition to “essential visitors” who are currently – and will remain able to visit inpatients at all hospital sites. Ward staff will work with patients and their loved ones to identify essential visitors.
These are usually one of the following:
Parents of children who are inpatients or attending an outpatient appointment.
One person to support someone with a health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism where not being present would cause the person distress.
A nominated family member of someone receiving end of life care.
Caroline Hiscox, NHS Grampian’s Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions, said: “We know how important visiting is for our patients and for their loved ones.
"Being in hospital is hard enough which is why we are so keen to reintroduce visiting.
“We also know that it needs to be carefully balanced against the safety of those we’re caring for which is why it is critical it’s done in a managed way that keeps the risk of infection as low as it possibly can be.
“We are just delighted that we will be able to welcome partners back to being fully involved in Mums-to-be care and an extra visitor at the Children’s Units from Monday.
"All our staff will be as accommodating as possible, but, unfortunately, it will only be pre-arranged appointment in the initial stages.
“Please, please do not come without a booked appointment – by doing it this way, we are able to make sure the number of people on the ward is safe and ensure that all our patients can receive visitors.”
She continued: “I know lots of people are keen to see visiting start again in other areas and we want to make that happen quickly.
"There is a huge amount of work going on just now to put the necessary physical distancing and others measures in place to allow that to happen.
“It is challenging – in some wards, for example, we will need to set up designated visiting areas using the likes of day rooms and, in others, we need to look carefully at the space available between each bed.
"That will take some time and we would ask people remain patient while we do it but, please rest assured, each area will be open to visitors again as soon as it is safe.”
Caroline said that as soon as a ward area is able to accept visitors again, patients will be asked to nominate a designated visitor and ward staff will then telephone that person to arrange a visiting time.
An up to date list of all wards able to welcome visitors will also be available online at covid19.nhsgrampian.org/visiting/
She continued: “We hope to be able to add wards to the list on an almost daily basis but, as you would expect, inpatients will be the first to know.
“There’s no doubt it will be different when people visit as there are various protective restrictions in place.
"Probably most notably, masks will be provided to all visitors.
"On many sites, people will also be met at the front door and escorted to the area they are visiting.”
The introduction of virtual visiting, which enables patients to use ward provided ipads, to connect with loved ones, family and friends also continues to be rolled out, with more than 25 now enabled.
Patients who wish to use the virtual visiting service should speak to a member of ward staff in the first instance.
