Changes in visiting guidance across our hospitals
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton have operated a compassionate visiting policy for some time and in line with national guidance, we are delighted to announce that have been able to ease some visiting restrictions.
The following visiting is now in place:
Outpatient clinics:
- Patients may bring one adult with you for support if needed, who will be able to be in the waiting room with you. If you don’t need additional support, please consider attending alone.
Adult inpatients on wards:
- Each patient will be allowed up to two visitors of their choice for a maximum period of one hour per day. Ideally these must be the same visitors or visitors from the same household. Contact the ward staff to arrange a visit >.
A&E:
- Restricted to one person per patient however this will be reviewed if the department is crowded. If you can come alone, please do so.
Children’s and Young People Services:
- CED, PAU and outpatients: Two people per patient. This will be reviewed if the department is crowded.
- Sunflower (Electives) can have two parents/carers (they need to have isolated with the CYP).
- Paediatric wards: Each patient will be allowed up to two parent/carer visitors during the day with one parent/carer able to remain overnight.
- Neonatal Unit open visiting for both parents.
Maternity:
- Antenatal Clinics, Fetal Medicine and Ultrasound Scans: One support partner
- Pregnancy Assessment Unit/Maternity Assessment Unit: One support partner
- Induction of labour (Ward 12 at QHB and Ward 315 at RDH): One support partner to have open visiting, but unfortunately we are not yet able to support overnight stays
- Two support partners are able to attend the labour ward once a person is in their individual labour room (when they are in active labour)
- Antenatal/Postnatal wards – Two support partners can attend. One may have open visiting hours (but unfortunately we are not able to support overnight visits) and a second may visit for up to 4 hours a day via a pre-booked appointment with the ward.
- Find out more on our Maternity Services FAQs during coronavirus page >
We have made the difficult decision to continue to suspend our homebirth service to ensure safe staffing levels across all our maternity services. Our homebirth service is an important service and this decision is regularly reviewed. We appreciate this will be disappointing to those who were planning on giving birth at home and we would ask them to continue to discuss their birth options with their community midwife.
We are still asking all visitors to continue to wear a mask when in our hospitals, regularly wash their hands and follow any infection prevention control guidance requested in a department. Visitors should not attend if they have symptoms of coronavirus, or are testing positive for Covid-19.
Visitors can read our full guidance on our website >
Dr Magnus Harrison, Interim Chief Executive said: “We have a duty to keep our staff and vulnerable patients safe and we set visiting rules with that in mind, while also trying to make sure patients are supported by their loved ones while in hospital. I’m pleased that this week we’ve been able to ease visiting restrictions across our hospitals following an extremely challenging few months.
“Covid hasn’t gone away and we’re still caring for over 100 patients who have tested positive which is why we’re asking all visitors and patients to wear a face mask if they need to visit one of our hospitals.”