Western Trust Hospitals Change Visitor Arrangements

The Western Trust has announced a change to its visitor arrangements, bringing it in to line with Department of Health guidance.

All Western Trust hospital sites are now operating a '1-1-1' system, which allows for one visitor per patient for one hour, once a day.

Announcing the new guidance, Western Trust Executive Director of Nursing, Primary Care and Older People's Services, Dr Bob Brown, said: "As a Trust we recognise the importance of visiting patients in Hospitals and that it can be a great support, particularly for older people.

"We want to be able to facilitate safe, secure visiting in as controlled and risk managed a way as possible and for that reason, looking at the transmission rates and evaluating risk assessments from across all of our Hospitals … we will implement consistent visiting arrangements in all Trust facilities for one visitor per patient for one hour, once a day.

"Some exceptions will be made in special circumstances, for example, given the clinical vulnerability of the patient group, particularly in the haematology setting, visiting in the North West Cancer Centre will continue to be restricted to assessment on an individual basis involving the patient, family and team."

It has also been announced that these conditions will also apply to both Covid and ICU wards, where in the interests of patient safety visitation will be by individual negotiation with Ward Managers on a case by case basis.

More frequent visiting in exceptional circumstances, such as at the end of life will continue to be permitted, as will visiting for birthing partners to maternity services, each in an individually risk assessed way.

Paediatric wards (children's) in Altnagelvin and South West Acute Hospital will continue to permit a parent to be at the child's bedside, again ensuring this is risk assessed and in a COVID-19 secure way.

This position will be reviewed again on Friday 01st October 2021.

The Western Trust is also encouraging members of the public to complete lateral flow tests before visiting any of its premises to provide confidence to both visitors and staff that visitors are not Covid positive and to help the Trust maintain Covid Safe environments for all.

These visiting arrangements will remain under constant review and may change in response to any further increase in infection rates impacting on any particular department, e.g. an inability to retain a COVID-19 secure environment of care.

The safety of patients and staff will always be to the forefront of any decision made.

These steps have been taken due to the ongoing risk of community transmission of COVID-19 across the Western Trust geography and to ensure the safety of both patients and staff.

Patients have been reminded only to attend A&E alone, where possible. Children and vulnerable adults can be accompanied by one person.

If you are planning to visit one of our Hospitals or inpatient facilities please do not do so if you:

• Are currently unwell with a high temperature or fever

• Have had a first positive test for COVID-19 in the last 28 Days

• You have been advised to self-isolate

• Had any vaccine (including flu) in the last 7 days.

Anyone attending any Western Trust Facility is also reminded to wear a face covering (unless exempt for medical reasons) and adhere to social distancing and hand-hygiene rules.