Visiting times
Visiting patients - updated 30 May 2023
We have now reintroduced visiting on wards across our hospitals. The following principles must be followed for all adult wards and departments:
- Visitors must not have any symptoms of COVID-19 or any other infection when visiting.
- All visitors must always wear a fluid resistant surgical mask, including when entering and moving through the healthcare setting, unless medically exempt for which evidence should be provided.
- All visitors must comply with washing their hands before and after attending the wards and departments.
- Patients who are COVID positive may be allowed visitors following a risk assessment by the Matron, with established COVID-safety measures in place.
Inpatient wards
Visiting times will be 14.00 – 20.00.
Each patient will be allowed 2 visitors at any one time.
Patients at the end of life will be allowed visitors. The number of visitors at any one time will be agreed with the ward sister.
We will continue to support visiting for our vulnerable patients outside of these hours.
Please note some wards suspend visiting hours for a period in the afternoon and visitors may not be admitted during this time. Please contact the ward directly to check visiting hours before travelling.
Outpatient Departments
One person can accompany a patient at any appointment if required. The number of people required to support vulnerable people attending an appointment should be agreed with the department.
Emergency Departments (A&E)
One visitor can accompany a patient in the Emergency Departments if required.
Leeds Children’s Hospital
Both parents/carers will continue to have 24-hour unrestricted visiting throughout the Children’s Hospital.
All children will be allowed 2 siblings at any one time and 2 additional visitors. The following principles must be followed:
- A parent always accompanies the visitor/sibling
- The visitor/sibling has no temperature, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, runny nose or other symptoms suggest of an infectious illness
- Visiting hours for additional visitors are limited to 14.00-19.00
- Visiting numbers will be kept to 2 per bed
- All visitors over the age of 12 will be required to wear a fluid resistant surgical mask
- Hand hygiene technique and information will be shared with all visitors and they will be part of the regular hand hygiene audits.
Maternity
Two birth partners will be allowed on delivery suite for the duration of the stay.
An additional adult visitor will be allowed on the antenatal and postnatal wards during the visiting hours of 14.00-16.00 and 18.00-20.00. No more than three adults will be allowed around the bedside during visiting hours.
Birth partners can stay overnight on the antenatal and postnatal wards. The patient’s own children can visit outside of visiting times with the birth partner.
One supportive adult can accompany the patient for all scans, outpatient appointments and in assessment areas.
Any inpatient who is COVID-positive can be accompanied by a birth partner who tests negative on a lateral flow test (LFT).
Adult Critical Care - ICU
- Visiting times are 13.00 – 15.00 and 17.00 – 19.00
- A maximum of 2 named family members will be able to visit daily for a maximum of 2 hours in either an afternoon or evening visiting slot.
- Visits for patients at end of life are able to be offered more flexible visiting.
Other ways of staying in touch
We will continue to make available the services and equipment that allow patients to keep in contact with their families virtually and over the telephone.
Letters to Loved Ones - more than 4,000 letters have been printed and hand-delivered to inpatients staying in our hospitals. Find out how you can send a letter to your loved one.
Talking to Loved Ones allows you to speak to an inpatient via a communications app on an iPod on one of our wards. Speak to the Sister or Charge Nurse on the ward to arrange a chat, and find out more on the Coronavirus web pages.
