Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, says it has taken “the very difficult” decision to ban visitors.
A hospital spokesman said: “As the situation with coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to develop rapidly, we have taken the very difficult decision to stop ALL visiting of patients in the hospital”.
The hospital said it would enable them “to take all necessary precautions to protect our patients and staff and is in line with actions taken by other hospitals across the country”.
The visitor ban is from today (March 25) but some exceptions have been put in place.
If children are in hospital only one parent will be allowed to be with a child (under 18) at any one time.
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) – one parent will be allowed to be with a child (under 18) at any one time
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) - One parent can visit each day, for 2 hours, at a designated time and can between a choose morning, afternoon or evening slot. Parents should phone the room in the morning / the day before, to arrange their slot for the day.
On maternity, the hospital says no partners are to attend antenatal appointments, fetal and maternal medicine or ultrasound scans.
A birthing person may be accompanied by one named birthing partner only during labour.
All other visiting will stop - this is to include all inpatient areas, including the antenatal and postnatal ward.
In cases where carers are needed to ensure the safe care of a patient on the ward (such as patients who have dementia, delirium or learning difficulties) the decision to admit one carer will be authorised by the nurse in charge/ ward leader and will be initially restricted to one hour. The ability to stay longer will be made at the discretion of the ward manager.
Anyone who falls into this category must wear their carer’s passport (ID badge) which is available on the wards.
In the A&E department, one person will be allowed to accompany a patient to A&E but if the decision is made to admit the patient to a ward, they will not be able to go with them.
Intensive care and end of life care has additional visitor restrictions are in place for our intensive care units and for patients receiving end of life care.
Any members of the public visiting the hospital will need to use a buzzer at the entrance and will be asked by security why they wish to enter.
Addenbrooke’s says that if you have a new consistent cough or high temperature (of 37.8 degrees centigrade or higher) then please do not visit. Instead you should, as stated in NHS and Public Health England guidance, self-isolate at home for seven days.
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