Hospitals welcome back more visitors

WARRINGTON and Halton Teaching Hospitals is from today (March 28) further extending its visiting policy, with visitors able to visit patients on inpatient wards at Warrington Hospital and the Nightingale Building and Captain Sir Tom Moore Building at Halton Hospital.

The safety of patients, visitors and staff is Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals’ remain a priority therefore several safety measures will be in place for visitors.

Visitors will be required to pre-book a visiting time – two visitors per patient for at least one hour per visit – with the relevant ward 24 hours in advance. Wards can be contacted by ringing the main switchboard on 01925 635911 or by using the ward contact page on the Trust’s website.

All visitors must continue to wear a face mask unless medically exempt, clean hands regularly and maintain social distancing where possible. If visitors are experiencing any COVID 19 symptoms or are unwell, they must not attend the ward. Furthermore, contact details and temperature/symptom checks will be recorded to support contact tracing and the number of visitors per ward will be defined by the size and layout of the ward – visitors to patients in smaller wards may have fewer choices about preferred visiting times.

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, Chief Nurse, Deputy Chief Executive and lead for infection protection and control at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals said the hospitals were very pleased to give more visitors the opportunity to see patients.

“Family, friends and loved ones provide a huge positive boost for our patients when they visit and we are extremely keen to give everybody, and not just those in special circumstances, the opportunity to visit patients in our hospitals.

“However, as Covid cases continue to rise across our communities, we have to take the appropriate infection control measures which I know our patients, and the families will understand.

“We may need to adapt the visiting policy on some wards that have seen an increase of patients with the COVID virus. If this is the case, the ward will contact those who have booked visiting times as well as those wishing to book a visit.

Although some visitors can attend Outpatient clinics and the Emergency Department with patients at the moment, the Trust is looking at opening up these departments more widely and as soon as possible; any changes will be announced in due course.