Eastern services visiting details

We are seeing a rise in the number of COVID-19, flu, other respiratory diseases, and norovirus (diarrhoea or vomiting) infections in some of hospitals. In light of this, to help us keep our patients, staff and visitors safe, we are applying some visitor restrictions to certain areas on a case-by-case basis.

In the areas where these restrictions are in place, every adult inpatient may have one visitor a day, with visits limited to one hour. It does not have to be the same visitor each day and you do not need to make an appointment for the visit.

Full details about these changes, including exceptional circumstances, are available here.

Visitors and patients are not routinely required to wear face coverings unless it is their personal preference.

To help keep our most vulnerable patients safe and to help protect our visitors, there are some exceptions to this, which are as follows:

• In settings (inpatient or outpatient) where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression, e.g. oncology/haematology and renal services, visitors will be asked to wear a facemask
• Visitors will be asked to wear a surgical facemask if visiting a high-risk area or a patient with suspected/known COVID-19
• Individuals accompanying patients to ED and admission areas will continue to be encouraged to wear face coverings

Please help us to help you and your loved one by not attending if you are showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or flu or any other infection (such as diarrhoea and vomiting).

Our approach to visiting is returning to where it was before the pandemic, so most restrictions have been removed. In summary:

Adult inpatients

• Open visiting 7 days a week 10am-8pm
• Critical care visiting 11am-8pm (rest period 1pm-2pm)
• Acute Care of Elders (ACE), Capener Ward: 11am-8pm
• Creedy Ward: 1pm-5pm and 6pm-8pm
• There should be no more than two visitors/support people visiting/accompanying unless in exceptional circumstances

Children

• Revert to normal visiting – two visitors at a bedside at any one-time (excluding parents/carers) and siblings can visit
• Parents can visit 24/7 and other visitors can visit 12pm-7.30pm

Maternity

• On our labour wards, two birth partners can be with the woman/person in labour 24/7
• On our wards – one person can visit between 9am-8pm and two people 3pm-6pm
• Outpatients can have one adult visitor and siblings
• Community can have one adult and siblings
• Patients can have one adult visitor attend a scan appointment with them

Neo-natal unit

• Unrestricted access for parents and siblings
• Visiting for anyone other than parents, siblings or support person between 2-8pm

Outpatients and day treatment units, ED

• Patients may be accompanied by two people where appropriate and necessary to assist their communication and/or to meet their health, care, emotional, religious, or spiritual care needs
• There should be no more than two visitors/support people visiting/accompanying unless in exceptional circumstances

Staying in touch in other ways

Our Family Liaison Service can:

• relay personal messages to and from patients who are staying on wards.
• arrange virtual visiting with a video call to family.
• receive essential items for patients.

Personal messages

Email your message and/or a photo to: rduh.pals-eastern@nhs.net with the patient name and ward. Alternatively, call: 01392 402093 and leave the message you’d like shared with your love one.

Virtual visits

If your loved one does not have a smartphone, it is sometimes possible for us to arrange a virtual visit. To see if you can use this service, please contact the team 10:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday, on:

• Wonford: 01392 402093 / or email rduh.pals-eastern@nhs.net
• Exmouth: 01395 279684
• Sidmouth: 01395 512482
• Tiverton: 01884 235400

Receive essential items

All essential items should be bought in an easy to wipe clean bag which is clearly labelled with the patients name and ward.

For Wonford, the drop off point is situated in the PALS office in the Main Entrance and is available Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 4pm.

For the community hospitals, please contact the relevant hospital prior to dropping off any patient property - see the 'Our sites' page for contact details.