Covid visiting restrictions reimposed at Warrington Hospital

Patients on a limited number of wards at the Lovely Lane site had been permitted to receive a small number of visitors in a relaxing of measures from June 1.

But this has now been scaled back by Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust due to a heightened risk of Covid-19 transmission.

The phased approach to visiting for patients in the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Cardiac Care Unit and wards A7, A8, K25 and B19 has been suspended effective immediately to maintain patient safety.

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, chief nurse and deputy chief executive, said: “We have taken this difficult decision, along with other hospitals in the Cheshire and Merseyside region, to suspend the limited visiting arrangements which were recently introduced for a small number of our hospital wards.

“This is due to the rising rates of Covid-19 infection in our communities, and we feel it is the right course of action at this time when both Warrington and Halton have been designated as enhanced response areas due to the prevalence of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

“We appreciate the disappointment and frustration this may cause, however the safety of patients, their loved ones and our staff must always be our primary concern.”

Visiting will only be permitted in the following circumstances:

• A maximum of two visitors for patients at the end of their life.
• One birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour.
• One partner accompanying woman to antenatal scans. Risk assessments of environments should be undertaken.
• One parent or appropriate adult visiting a child. This may include multiple parents, although only one may be present at any time. This also include Neonatal services.
• One carer that is supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism or other similar complex conditions, where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed.
• In exceptional cases consideration will be given to individual requests following a comprehensive risk assessment.

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Visitors should observe strict two-metre social distancing principles while moving around the hospital, wear face coverings and adhere to strict handwashing on entering and leaving the hospital and clinical areas.

Most hospital outpatient appointments are also now being undertaken in a different way.

When it is necessary to attend the hospital, patients should attend alone, and where this is not possible due to potential psychological distress or physical support, one person may accompany the patient attending outpatients, but both should wear face coverings.

A hospital spokesman added: “Your health, safety and wellbeing, that of our patients, communities and staff across the organisation remain our absolute priority.

“We will support you to find other ways of keeping in touch with your loved ones in hospital, like phone and video calls. If you are worried, please speak to the nurse in charge.

“Thank you for your continued support and understanding at this challenging time.

“We will review these arrangements on a weekly basis and in the context of the environment we are providing care in.”