Wye Valley NHS Trust suspends hospital visits over rising Covid cases

The Wye Valley NHS Trust has suspended hospital visits due to a rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Tigher restrictions, which come into effect today (Wednesday November 3), will affect most wards at hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.

There are a few circumstances in which loved ones will be exempt from the new restrictions.

Lucy Flanagan, chief nursing officer at the Trust, says: "This has been a difficult decision to make as we know the benefits visitors can make to the recovery of our patients.

"But with the increased spread of the virus in the community and cases on our wards, we’ve decided to temporarily suspend visiting on safety grounds with a few exceptions."

What are the exceptions?

Compassionate grounds

• The patient is receiving end of life care

• The patient is in receipt of bad news

• The patient faces a life-changing illness or injury

• The patient needs specific support and will be benefit from a visitor

Stroke patients

Visitors will be allowed to see stroke patients within their first 72 hours.

Out-patient areas

Out-patients can be accompanied if:

• The patient is vulnerable and needs support

• The patient is to receive bad news

• There are no changes to visiting restrictions on the Children’s ward, Special Care Baby Unit and in Maternity.

• Lucy Flanagan added: We want to thank all our patients who have been in hospital in recent months and their families and friends who have supported the visiting restrictions we’ve had in place,” added Lucy.

• “We know this hasn’t always been easy but these restrictions have enabled us to ensure patients are being treated in the safest environment possible.

• “Covid has not gone away and this tightening of visiting restrictions is an extra step we need to take to help protect patients and staff with the growing number of cases in the community.

• “We appreciate the benefits receiving visitors has on our patients and so we have made certain exceptions. The new arrangements will be under constant review and we will reopen and revert back to limited visiting arrangements across our wards as soon as it is safe to do so.”

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