Peterborough hospital COVID visiting restrictions to be partially eased this week

From Wednesday March 2, visiting restrictions at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford Hospitals will be partially lifted.

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse for the Trust, said: “After careful consideration we have made the decision to reintroduce visiting in a controlled way which still allows us to maintain the safety of our patients and staff, and reduce the risk of the virus spreading within our hospitals.

“We are still practising social distancing, mandatory mask wearing and thorough hand hygiene. We also ask all visitors to ensure they have completed a lateral flow test on the day of their visit. Visitors will be ask to provide proof of a negative result by showing the email or text notification sent when you register the test on the government website or a via a photo. If you don’t have access to a smart device then you can bring the completed test in with you, in a sealed bag.

“There are some departments and wards that will not be able to accommodate visitors. This has been challenging at times, but our staff are working really hard to support the patients in these areas as much as possible using our Letters to Loved Ones initiative and by using the iPad facilities that are available across our wards.”

For general visiting the new regulations will include:

Non-Covid wards: One named visitor (the same person each visit) during allocated visiting hours, as per the following:

Odd numbered patient beds 1pm to 2pm

Even numbered patient beds 3pm to 4pm

Discretion for visiting outside of these identified visiting times on an individual patient basis

Emergency Department: One person to accompany if the patient meets the criteria of needing a carer with them and social distancing can be maintained.

This is at the discretion of the clinician. This includes AAU, ACU, MAU and MSSU (at PCH)

Outpatients: No accompanying individuals unless they are a carer for patient or at the discretion of the treating clinician

Critical Care: One/ two visitors per day, for one hour maximum. Discretion to be used if this needs to be altered. Please contact the ward to arrange this

Amazon/ Holly ward: Visiting parent/carer of a child in addition to the resident parent. No children to be permitted

End of life care: Two visitors for an unspecified time. Please speak to the Ward Manager for advice

Carers: One carer for adult patients to support in exceptional circumstances such as dementia, anxiety or learning disability for an unspecified time

Maternity: Visiting will remain as it has been operating previously

Additional information to note: 

Inpatient visitors to lateral flow test prior to visiting

No visitors with any symptoms are to visit

Masks to be worn at all times and social distancing adhered to

No routine overnight stays but may be considered in exceptional circumstances with prior tactical (silver) level approval