Latest visiting guidance
We welcome visitors between 8am and 8pm to our inpatient areas. We know how much having visitors means to our patients and recognise the invaluable role and contribution that family, next of kin and relatives can provide in the recovery of a loved one.
Some exceptions may apply in specialist areas such as our Critical Care Unit, Maternity wards and cancer wards – please double check with the team/nurse in charge of the ward you plan to visit. Visiting hours also exclude protected meal times, unless you are supporting a patient with feeding, so we kindly ask you to check these times with the nurse in charge before your visit.
Our priority is to provide the best care for our patients in a calm and restful environment. We ask that all visitors help us to do this by following the guidelines in our visitor charter.
We continue to care for patients with a number of transmissible infections and here’s how you can help us to keep our hospitals safe.
The following visiting guidance is in place in all ESNEFT hospitals:
General wards
- Two visitors at a time may visit the bedsides of patients on our adult inpatient wards between 8am and 8pm. This includes any children.
Maternity
- Information about visitors and birthing partners during and after birth, and at antenatal appointments, is on our maternity appointments and visits page.
Children’s wards
- Two parents / carers may visit a child together on children’s wards and neonatal units. One parent/carer may remain with their child throughout their stay, including overnight
- Other family members may also visit, for example siblings and grandparents, following discussion and agreement with ward teams
- Two parents / carers can accompany children to outpatient appointments
- If you have any questions, please call the children’s department caring for your child
Key information
- Visitors may be advised to wear surgical face masks covering their nose and mouth where there is a high-risk of transmission of contagious respiratory infection. You may be asked to wear a mask:
– If you are visiting an area where there’s an outbreak (or suspected outbreak) of contagious respiratory infection.
– If you are visiting patients who are immunosuppressed and need additional protection (in line with ward staff advice).
– In some other circumstances where the clinical staff advise wearing masks because of infection risks.
- Visitors should clean their hands regularly, especially entering and leaving the ward area
- Visitors should stay at home if they are unwell. You should not visit hospital if you:
– Have any COVID-19 symptoms (Opens in a new window) or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days
– Have had diarrhoea or vomiting. You should not come to hospital until you have been symptom free for 48 hours (two days).
– Feel unwell in any way
- We strongly discourage anyone who is clinically vulnerable / immunocompromised from visiting wards areas where we have transmissible infections. Make sure you talk to the nurse in charge of the ward and make an informed decision that’s right for you and the patient before visiting.
- Children, and children who are siblings of patients / newborn babies, are welcome to visit our wards as part of the two visitors welcomed around each bed
- More flexible visiting is supported on compassionate grounds for end of life care, people in formal caring roles and supporting patients with dementia or a learning disability.
Attending A&E
- Patients can be accompanied by up to two visitors in A&E.
Attending Outpatients
- Please arrive no sooner than five minutes before your appointment time.
- Patients are welcome to bring a loved one to an appointment for support, but if there is more than one, we may ask them to wait outside due to space limitations in our clinics.
- Two parents / carers can accompany children to outpatient appointments
Our hospitals
This guidance applies to Colchester Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, Aldeburgh Hospital, Bluebird Lodge in Ipswich, Clacton Hospital, Felixstowe Hospital and Fryatt Hospital in Harwich.
Helping your loved one to recover in hospital
Did you know you can help your loved one’s recovery when you’re visiting them in hospital?
These small things can make a big difference to patients:
- Bring in clothing and toiletries and encourage the patient to wash and get dressed independently where possible
- Make sure patients have any continence aids they are used to using so they feel confident, comfortable and dignified
- Bring in their favourite nutritional snacks
- For patients with cognitive impairments, ask staff if you can help complete a ‘This is Me’ document which will help hospital teams know more about the patient
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