CORONAVIRUS: Visiting to be allowed again at county's community hospitals

Visitors will be able to see family and friends who are patients in Lincolnshire’s community hospitals again from Wednesday.
Visiting to resume at community hospitalsVisiting to resume at community hospitals
Visiting to resume at community hospitals

Appointments will need to be booked in advance to allow visits and prevent overcrowding.

And visitors to the hospitals - John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough, County Hospital in Louth, Skegness Hospital, and Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding - will be strictly limited to one per patient and a maximum of two per hospital bay.

Visits were suspended earlier this year as part of the lockdown designed to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tracy Pilcher, Deputy Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Operations said: “I’d like to thank patients and their loved ones for their support during the lockdown when visiting was suspended for all but those patients with end of life conditions.

“It’s very positive news that we are now able to reopen Community Hospital visiting.

“We ask for patients families and friends to support our safety first approach by booking a time slot to ensure we can maintain effective social distancing and minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus to often very vulnerable people receiving our care.”

All visitors to community hospitals will be expected to:

· wear a new, appropriate face covering on arrival at the hospital and not to touch their face or mouth during their visit. Free face coverings will be available on arrival for visitors who do not have one

· clean their hands on arrival to the hospital entrance using the hand sanitiser provided

· follow all temporary floor markings to safely guide them around the hospital site

· remain behind any screens to protect patients and visitors

· follow social distancing guidelines between them and patients, visitors and hospital staff

· remove their face covering on leaving the hospital and dispose of it safely using the bins provided.

Visitor appointments can be booked by contacting the relevant ward clerk:

· County Hospital, Louth – please call Archer Ward and Assessment Centre on 01507 600 100 ext 1345 or 1311

· John Coupland Hospital, Gainsborough – please call 01427 816500

· Johnson Community Hospital, Spalding – please call 01775 652 000 and ask for the Welland Ward clerk

· Skegness Hospital – please call 01754 762401 and ask for the Gloucester Ward or Scarborough Ward clerk.

Related topics: