Quick reference guide:

• Wards and departments will provide local visiting times based on the needs of their patients.
• Family carers are welcomed during the hospital stay of the person they care for.
• They will be supported to participate in care to the extent they, and the person they care for, wishes.
• Carers will be offered a carer’s assessment and a referral to the QA Carers Team to ensure appropriate support during hospital stay and in preparation for discharge.
• Carers will be actively involved in care and discharge planning to ensure the safe, effective and timely discharge of patients.
• Visitors are encouraged to help patients maintain contact with their friends and family.
• Out of hours visiting may be agreed with the ward team.

We are committed to the active involvement of family members, friends and carers during a hospital stay. Family members and carers play an important role in supporting patients during an episode of ill health.

Our visiting guidance has been written using the principles of John’s Campaign and promotes the right to stay with someone in hospital to support them as often as they are able.

The following are some principles we ask all visitors to adhere to

• Visiting is most beneficial to patients for short periods of time. Many patients will need a significant amount of rest and the presence of visitors may disrupt that rest. The duration of visits or numbers of visitors may be limited by the nursing staff if it is felt to be in the best interest of the patient.
• To help prevent the spread of infection visitors are encouraged to use the hand hygiene products provided, e,g, hand gel before entering the ward.
• Please do not visit within 48 hours of having diarrhoea and/or vomiting or any obvious signs of infection. If in doubt please telephone the ward for advice.
• Only visitors requested by the patient or carer can remain present for clinical procedures or ward rounds and that must be with the consent of the patient.
• We ask that visitors use the chairs provided and do not sit on the patient‘s bed.
• No more than two visitors per patient are recommended at any one time in multiple bays. This is to ensure the comfort of other patients. If the number exceeds this, the nursing staff may politely ask some visitors to leave.
• We ask that visitors do not use mobile phones, cameras or other image and sound recording devices. Areas for exemptions, such as maternity need to be agreed with the Nurse/Midwife in charge.
• Please inform staff of any perishable food or drink brought in for patients.
• Unfortunately we are not able to routinely provide refreshments to visitors, however staff will be able to advise of the facilities available. We do provide hot drinks for resident carers (insert link to info)
• Gifts can do a lot to cheer up a patient. Stuffed toys, books and games are terrific items to give a patient. Balloons, of course, can brighten a room but for safety reasons, we would only allow mylar balloons into the hospital. All latex balloons are prohibited due to allergies. We would also strongly advise against visitors bringing flowers into the hospital due to infection control reasons.
• Visitors are politely reminded that the hospital is smoke free and so smoking is not permitted anywhere in the grounds of the hospital.

Arrangements for family/friends/carers

We actively promote the rights of carers to stay with patients while they are in hospital if they wish to do so. While Carers are in our care, there are a number of principles we aim to meet to support them;

• Family carers are welcomed during the hospital stay of the person they care for.
• They will be supported to participate in care to the extent they, and the person they care for, wishes.
• If Carers have made the decision to stay, we will provide facilities for them to eat, drink, wash and rest while they are here. Please note, this applies to family or friend carers who are providing a level of care to the patient. We are unable to provide facilities to visitors.
• Carers will be offered a carer’s assessment and a referral to the QA Carers Team to ensure appropriate support during hospital stay and in preparation for discharge.
• Carers will be actively involved in care and discharge planning to ensure the safe, effective and timely discharge of patients.
• Wards and departments will provide local visiting times based on the needs of their patients.
• Out of hours visiting may be agreed with the ward team.We work with carers to understand their needs and respond accordingly. Carers told us they would like to have a document that they could keep with them that would support any agreements made with the ward staff. We wrote the 'This Is Us' carers passport to do just that.These cups mean you will be able to get a hot drink with the patient at the bedside when they do.
• If you are visiting a family member or friend you can purchase drinks from a variety of vending machines or restaurants.
• If you are a carer who is staying with a family member or friend while they are in hospital to assist with their care, then please ask one of our staff for a carers cup.