In light of the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country, to help us keep our patients, staff and visitors safe, we are asking all visitors and patients to please wear a facemask in any areas where clinical care is provided – this includes inpatient wards and clinical rooms in our acute hospitals, community sites and hospitals, primary care sites, and at our vaccination centres.

Facemasks will remain a personal choice in areas where clinical care is not provided, such as:

• Corridors, ward receptions and main entrances
• Onsite restaurants and shops (Raleigh Galley, TLC and Boots etc.)

We also ask that people continue to follow hand hygiene measures when visiting a Royal Devon healthcare setting.

• We understand that for some people, wearing a face covering may be difficult due to physical or mental health conditions, and these people will remain exempt.
• If you are a deaf or hearing impaired, our staff have a range of communication options to ensure that they can communicate effectively with you. This might include visual aids such as writing things down, speech to text apps and sign language.
• More information about facemasks can be found here: Wearing a face mask or face covering during COVID-19