Updated June 2022
As we continue to work through this Cornavirus-19 pandemic and establish the best ways of protecting your loved one, you, our staff, and volunteers from the transmission of the virus, we kindly ask you to bear with us. Most importantly we continue to ask that if you have symptoms related to COVID 19 (or other respiratory infections) that you avoid visiting the Hospice.
Following the government’s guidance relating to COVID-19 we require the following restrictions to
visitors:
- Patients can have 2 visitors to visit at the bedside at any one time. The exception to this is for a person in their last hours/day of life or, where care delivery by a family member is required.
- To prevent the spread of infection and in line with the NHS guidance we ask all visitors to the inpatient unit to wear a medical grade face mask for the duration of their visit, unless medically exempt. If you do not have your own face mask, we can provide you with this on arrival during signing in, please wear it for the duration of your visit.
- We are not restricting the length of visits, but would appreciate your help wherever possible, to allow gaps between visiting so our staff and our housekeeping teams can continue to be vigilant in infection prevention precautions.
- If your loved one can receive visitors outside, they may have up to 6 visitors around the bed/chair in the garden – if they can maintain a 2-meter distance from all other people. Please abide by this
policy – so we can continue to enable all patients to receive visitors and keep everyone safe. - We ask that children under the age of 5 visit their relative outside in the gardens (except in exceptional circumstances – please discuss with a senior member of the clinical team). This does not include babies in arms who can be counted with the adult they accompany.
- Visitors should respect social distancing measures and aim to keep at least 2 metres apart from other patients and their visitors wherever possible.
- Visitors should wash and sanitize their hands regularly, and at least upon entering and before exiting the building.
- Patients own pets may visit by prior arrangement; however, like humans they need to be kept 2 metre distance for all other patients, visitors, and staff.
- Visitors attending in a professional capacity such as solicitors, NHS specialist nurses etc. do not count within the patient’s allocated 2 visitors at a time. These professionals must work to the same infection control requirements as Rowcroft Hospice team members.
- Use of video communications technology wherever possible, such as Facetime, Skype or Zoom to assist in communication with the hospice and, if requested, patients.
- For patients thought to be in the last hours or short days of life, we will aim to offer a side room. When this is possible, they may have more than 2 visitors at the bedside and can stay up to 24hrs a day if appropriate (please speak to ward nursing or medical staff first). All visitors should wear face masks and must do so when staff are attending the patient, or they will be asked to temporarily leave the room.
- For patients thought to be in the last hours or short days of life for whom we are unable to offer a side room, the visiting hours for their visitors can be extended up to 24hrs but please speak to ward nursing or medical staff first. Please also be aware of the needs of other patients for rest. The visitors will be encouraged to split the 24hrs between them, but it is accepted that there may be some overlap and in some circumstances one visitor may require the support of another.
If you or a family member has symptoms of the Coronavirus or other respiratory infection, we would ask you to refrain from visiting as per the Government advice.
As the pandemic evolves, we may need to adapt or adjust this guidance but will inform Visitors always should this be necessary. We ask you to continue to practice good hand hygiene practices, wearing a face mask and social distancing where appropriate to support us in keeping everyone safe.