Virtual visiting welcomed at Western Isles hospitals
New iPads from Health Improvement Scotland keep patients connected
Patients in Western Isles hospitals have benefited from 20 new iPads from Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to allow virtual visits over the festive period.
Restricted indoor visiting arrangements continue in all hospitals in the Western Isles to help protect hospital services and to prevent the risk of transmission of Covid to patients and staff.
A virtual visiting appointment can be set up by contacting the hospital reception on 01851 704704.
In terms of indoor visiting, arrangements are reviewed regularly and, as a result of the current risks associated with the high rate of transmission of the Omicron variant of Covid across Scotland, NHS Western Isles reluctantly took the decision to continue indoor visiting restrictions in all hospitals in the Western Isles until further notice.
The restrictions apply to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway, Uist and Barra Hospital in Benbecula and St Brendan’s Hospital in Barra.
Hospital dining rooms are also closed to members of the public until further notice.
NHS Western Isles staff will take every step to ensure alternative visiting options are available to all inpatients at this time, including virtual visiting, outdoor visits and window visits, where appropriate and possible.
Essential visits such as endof-life; birth partners; children; patients with acute mental health issues and those with dementia, learning disabilities or autism, can be made more than once a day if required and there is no restriction on the number of essential visitors for each inpatient, although they must be immediate family members. Essential visitors must also pre-book visiting slots.
Essential visitors are requested to self-test using lateral flow devices (LFDs) daily and in particular before visiting the hospital and are urged to carefully observe safety precautions before and between visits to protect themselves from the risks of contracting Covid prior to visits.
If symptomatic, people should not visit the hospital and should arrange a PCR laboratory test by calling 01851 601151 even if they tested negative using an LFD test.