Visiting hours across our hospitals have changed
From today (8 July 2024), visiting hours are changing across all University Hospitals of Derby and Burton sites following changes in national regulation from the Care Quality Commission >, and feedback from patients, visitors and staff on our visiting hours.
We recognised that we could offer more compassionate, patient-centred care and better experiences by changing our visiting hours so that you can visit your loved ones in our care at times that are flexible and fit around your life commitments. Your support and presence are essential to the health, wellbeing and in some cases, recovery of patients in our care. With this new change, patients can see the people they want to see at times that are more flexible and convenient to them and their family, friends and carers.
Visiting hours will be from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week for general wards and high dependency units.
Some departments and wards will have different visiting hours and rules to ensure patient safety, care and experience is prioritised. Please note the below:
- Areas with open visiting will remain as 24 hours including the Macmillan unit, ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, intensive care unit (ICU) at Royal Derby Hospital, the medical assessment unit at Royal Derby Hospital and paediatrics.
- Day case surgery and elective admissions lounge exceptions: to ensure efficient care and treatment in these areas, visiting generally is not possible. But please speak to the nurse in charge if your loved one in our care has particular vulnerabilities, and we will make reasonable adjustments in these circumstances.
- You can find full details for visiting hours, including maternity and paediatrics here >.
Our new Visitors' Charter
We have developed a Visitors' Charter to explain what behaviours and commitments patients and visitors can expect from us, and what we expect in return. This charter will be printed and shared across the Trust to replace current signage and is a framework for departments to use when communicating with patients and visitors. Please familiarise yourself with this:
Our promise to visitors
Communication: We will always be polite and courteous to our patients and their visitors.
Environment: We will do our best to create a calm and peaceful environment to enable patients to get ample rest. We will respect the time between patients and visitors and will only interrupt if necessary.
Carers: We will support patient’s carers or relatives to be involved in care and decision making with consent of the patient. John’s campaign supports carers of patients with dementia and can be adopted for patients at the end of life or with any disabilities - please ask the nursing staff if you would like more information.
Nutrition: We will protect mealtimes by restricting non-urgent activities until mealtime has finished. We will encourage our patients to eat and drink well and offer our support where needed and support you to enjoy mealtimes with them or support you to help them to eat and drink well and safely.
Concerns and compliments: We will listen to any concerns our patients have and act accordingly - we want to get things right for all of our patients at the time of the concerns arising.
Infection Control: We will do all that we can to protect patients from infection; on occasions this may result in restricting visiting or moving patients to an allocated side room. We will follow infection prevention and control procedures including cleaning our hands in-between patient contact.
Visitors' promise to us
Communication: We ask that you are polite and respectful towards our staff, visitors and patients. Will not tolerate abuse or harassment of our staff. Anyone displaying aggressive, abusive or racist behaviour will be asked to leave the clinical area / ward and in some circumstances, visiting access to that individual may be withdrawn.
Environment: Please adhere to the visitor numbers and visiting times allowed in each clinical area/ ward – this may vary from one area to another based on local risk assessment. Please check the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust website for latest visiting restrictions. Please keep phones on silent and keep noise to a reasonable level. Please understand that from time-to-time you may be asked to briefly leave the ward or area for us to perform essential care and interventions and if a ward round, or patient handover (7am and 7pm) is taking place, you may be asked to leave the bay temporarily to maintain patient confidentiality. Please talk to the nurse in charge before bringing children in to visit.
Carers: Please let nursing staff know if you wish to be involved in supporting us to care for your relative/-friend, we welcome your input.
Nutrition: Please let us know if the patient has any special dietary requirements, allergies or preferences we may not be aware of.
Concerns and compliments: If you have any questions, worries, concerns or compliments please talk to the nurse in charge – we welcome your feedback. If your concerns are not resolved with the Nurse in Charge, please ask for the Matron's contact details and discuss your concerns with them.
Infection Control: If you are unwell especially if you have diarrhoea, vomiting or flu like symptoms - do not visit until you have been clear of symptoms for 48 hours. If you are unsure, please call the ward before you visit. For advice and updates regarding visiting restrictions please see the Trust website before visiting. Like staff, we ask that you clean your hands on entering and leaving the ward. Alcohol hand sanitiser dispensers are available near entry and exit points.
Download the full Visitors' Charter >.