Adult Inpatient visiting hours have been extended further at Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospitals.
One visitor per day may visit one patient for a maximum of one hour between 1pm – 3pm or 6pm – 7pm – seven days per week.
A controlled booking system is in place to enable one visitor per patient to visit once per day up to a maximum of one hour. This can be a different visitor each day.
All visiting arrangements must be made directly with the ward in advance.
It follows a relaxation of the visiting restrictions last week.
It is important to note that hospitals are currently very busy and visitor parking is limited.
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In recognition of the pressures on car parks at Royal Preston Hospital during weekday afternoons, a free park and ride shuttle service is in operation from Preston Business Centre between 12.15pm – 4pm.
Preston Business Centre, off Sharoe Green Lane, is roughly one mile away and will be a 5 minute shuttle journey between sites. Full details of the free park and ride shuttle service is available here .
In order to gain access to the ward, all visitors are required to provide evidence of a negative lateral flow test. This means testing prior to attending the hospital and demonstrating the negative test before entering the ward area.
Covid-19 measures still apply to the NHS, including social distancing and hand hygiene practices. All visitors, unless exempt, must also wear a face mask and any PPE that the clinical area recommends.
Adult Inpatient Visiting – patients with additional support needs:
Emergency Department:
Please note: The Emergency Department is not an inpatient area.
There is no general visiting for the Emergency Department.
Patients with additional support needs may be accompanied by a single carer, and two visitors are permitted for patients receiving end of life care.
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Children’s Assessment Unit and Children’s Day Case Visiting:
Children’s Ward Visiting:
Maternity Unit Visiting:
Neonatal Unit Visiting:
Outpatient appointments:
Patients should attend outpatient appointments alone to reduce the spread of infection.
When patients are unable to attend alone, for example require carers support, including patients with a cognitive impairment/ learning disability/ autism/ visual/ auditory impairment/language barriers, one person may accompany the patient to the appointment. Other needs may be allowed but please discuss with the clinical team.
If patients are concerned that the outpatient appointment could potentially involve the delivery of upsetting/distressing news, for example test results or diagnosis, this can be discussed with the nursing team in the department prior to the appointment, and arrangements made for one person to accompany them.
Accompanying family members/relatives/loved ones must NOT attend the hospital if they meet any of the visitor exclusion criteria including; Covid-19 symptoms, are Covid positive or are required to self-isolate.
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