Royal Preston and Chorley Hospitals have urged visitors and outpatients to wear face masks from today due to a spike in Covid-19 levels.
From Thursday, 7 July, Royal Preston visitors and outpatients attending a clinical setting must wear surgical face masks, with patients allowed a maximum of two visitors at a time between the hours of 2pm to 7pm daily.
To gain access to the ward, all visitors must not be Covid-19 positive, must not have Covid-19 symptoms or ‘generally feel unwell’.
Extended visiting hours will be available to those providing support to patients with additional needs, including patients with cognitive impairment, learning disability, autism, visual or auditory impairment or language barriers and clinical judgement.
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Other needs may be allowed, but the hospital has urged visitors to discuss them with the clinical team.
They said the ward area is to ‘make every effort’ to accommodate further visits to support those receiving end-of-life care – but they should contact the ward area directly to make additional arrangements.
Whilst the emergency department is not an inpatient area, patients may be accompanied by somebody important.
Visitors should not accompany a patient if they are Covid-19 positive, have Covid-19 symptoms or generally feel unwell.
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Visitors must comply with safety measures, including wearing a surgical face mask, maintaining social distancing, handwashing and donning any appropriate PPE as identified by the clinical staff responsible for the care if at high risk or immunocompromised.
When children are being assessed in the Children’s Assessment Unit or attending the Children’s Day Case Unit, two people can be present with their child.
Once the child is admitted onto the ward, two people can be present with their child during the day, and one parent/guardian can stay overnight.
Parents/guardians must remain by the child’s bedside as much as possible and undertake infection control procedures, including frequent handwashing and face masks.
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Two birthing partners can attend the labour and birth in the Delivery Suite/Birth Centre at all times.
One named partner can provide support at all times.
A second visitor may attend the maternity unit between 2pm and 7pm, and the woman’s other children are permitted to visit at this time.
One support partner can attend all hospital outpatient appointments and all scans, and both parents can be present with their child.
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Parents/ guardians must remain by their baby’s cot side as much as possible and undertake infection control procedures, including frequent handwashing.
Both parents can be present with their baby during admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The unit will ‘make every effort’ to involve extended family if it is safe.
Virtual visiting is supported by the wards for patients with visitors unable to attend the hospitals, including options such as telephone calls, Facetime or other alternative formats.
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Patients may be accompanied to their outpatient appointments in line with visiting guidance.
Outpatients and those accompanying them must comply with safety measures, including wearing a surgical face mask, maintaining social distancing, handwashing and donning any appropriate PPE as identified by the clinical staff.
Accompanying family members/relatives/loved ones must not attend the hospital if they meet any visitor exclusion criteria, including being Covid-19 positive, having Covid-19 symptoms or generally feeling unwell.
The hospitals are currently busy, and visitor parking is limited, but a free park and ride shuttle service is available from Preston Business Centre from 12.15pm to 4pm.
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Preston Business Centre, off Sharoe Green Lane, is roughly one mile away and will be a 5-minute shuttle journey between sites.
Staff may deny access to visitors who refuse to comply with infection control requirements, including mask-wearing in areas deemed necessary.
Where visitors provide evidence of medical exemption from mask-wearing, access will be granted at the discretion of staff on duty.
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