Kentish Express Ashford & District
Severe restrictions on hospital visits
Hospital bosses are tightening visiting restrictions even further as the NHS battles to reduce exposure to the coronavirus.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust announced stringent new rules which meant visitors will no longer be permitted except in a number of extremely limited circumstances.
Patients receiving end-of-life care will be allowed to see one person at a time for one hour, while those about to receive ventilation will be allowed a short visit from one person.
Similar strict limits will also be in place on maternity, paediatric and neonatal wards. In a number of cases agreement of hospital staff will be required in advance to allow visits and the presence of accompanying friends and family during appointments.
The new guidelines from the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust echo other restrictions being put in place at other hospitals in the county.
Visiting hours have been scrapped at Medway Maritime Hospital, one of the county’s biggest, and no members of the public allowed to enter the hospital site in Gillingham apart from in three exceptional circumstances.
One visitor – either an immediate family or carer – will be allowed to visit a patient if they are receiving end of life care, a woman in labour (who may have one birthing partner) or a parent or appropriate adult visiting a child.
The hospital said in a statement other exceptions on compassionate grounds may be made with agreement from the nurse or midwife in charge.
It said: “We apologise for any distress this may cause, however protecting patients and staff is our main priority during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.”
The changes have been made following after guidance was amended by NHS England.
Bosses had previously enforced severe restrictions to visiting hours.
Last week Darent Valley Hospital banned all “non-essential” visits to its wards and departments, with the paediatric ward only allowing one parent and carer to be with the child, while the maternity department is allowing just one birthing partner to attend.
Since then restrictions for expectant parents have also tightened, with partners unable to attend antenatal ultrasound scans.
In a statement, the hospital said: “We are taking all the necessary steps to protect our patients and staff in preventing the spread of Covid-19. We are therefore suspending all non-essential visiting at Darent Valley Hospital to our wards and departments until further notice.”
Hospitals across the county have placed major limits to visiting hours to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
East Kent Hospitals University Trust, which manages the William Harvey in Ashford, the Kent & Canterbiury, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, is also following strict national guidelines on visitors.
No regular visits are allowed, but they are permitting access in exceptional circumstances as at other hospitals, such as for end of life care, childbirth and for visits by and adult to a child.