An update on visiting rules at OUH

This article is from 17 May 2023 - the situation  may change with time.

From today, Wednesday 17 May 2023, visiting rules have changed at OUH.

Inpatients in our hospitals can have any two visitors with them at any one time between 8.00am and 8.00pm (they don't have to be the same two visitors throughout the day).

Patients on our children's wards and in the Newborn and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) can have immediate family members, including siblings, with them at any time (wider family visiting will be considered on a case-by-case basis).

Patients attending our Outpatient Departments and Emergency Departments can have two people with them if required.

Maternity guidance remains the same - maternity inpatients who are not on the labour wards can have no more than two visitors a day with them between the hours of 8.00am and 8.00pm (birth partner and one other nominated person).

As always, there will be consideration for exceptional circumstances such as patients sadly at the end of their life and patients with additional needs.

Patients and visitors must wear face masks if:

• visiting immunocompromised patients
• attending departments at the Churchill Hospital including Haematology, Oncology, Transplant, Chemotherapy, and Renal (including Dialysis)
• advised by Infection Prevention and Control (for example, visiting patients with COVID-19).

Anyone may of course wear a mask if they choose to, and patients and visitors can feel free to ask OUH staff to wear a mask if that would make them more comfortable.

Paula Gardner, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at OUH, said: "We really appreciate the value of visitors in our hospitals, and would like to thank people for the patience and understanding they have shown during the pandemic.

"Of course we will keep these new measures under review to ensure the safety of our patients, staff, and visitors."

More information is available on the Visitor FAQs page.