During the current outbreak of Covid-19 we have had to restrict access to the hospice buildings for family members and friends of patients on the inpatient unit. We have done this to ensure that staff and volunteers working on the IPU are safe, and also to ensure the safety of our patients.
We know that for a person who is very ill, the presence of family and friends is supportive and welcome and we would like to ensure we remain as open as we can be ensuring we are individualised in our approach to each person we care for, while putting in place measures to prevent any possible spread of Covid-19.
We have developed the following policy, which will be in place for the foreseeable future.
- Visiting remains restricted to two named people, unless otherwise agreed, however these two named people can now visit together whether or not they live in the same household
- Before admission all patients will be asked to nominate two people who will be allowed to visit them during their admission to the IPU
- The names of the patient’s chosen visitors will be given to reception staff
- We have reduced our visiting hours to between 8am and 8pm
- On arrival at St Christopher’s, please advise reception of the person you have come to visit. We will ask any visitor not to come into the hospice if they are not one of the two named visitors
- You will then be asked to complete the screening questionnaire. This is important as we are asking you to confirm that you do not have any symptoms of Covid-19 and that you have not been in contact with another person who is symptomatic of Covid-19. It is very important that you do not come to the hospice if you have the any of the following symptoms:
A high temperature of over 37.8 degrees – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
- When entering the hospice, you must now wear a face covering (or a surgical mask which is required whilst visiting our wards) for the whole time you are in the building. If you haven’t brought one with you, we may be able to give you a single use mask. If you do not wear a mask, you will not be able to visit the patient and will be asked to leave. We may also ask you to wear gloves and an apron during your visit to ensure we reduce any risk of infection spreading.
- You will also be asked to wash your handsfor at least 20 seconds using soap and water when entering and leaving the hospice and use the alcohol gel provided when entering the ward areas or in patient rooms
- Please ensure you keep ‘one metre plus’ away from other people. You may be asked to follow one-way systems to help us all stay apart. If social distancing cannot be maintained in our ward areas, you may be asked to visit at another time.
During an admission, a patient may, after conversation with the ward manager, amend their named visitors. Reception will be informed of the change(s).
We want to ensure that the children of a patient admitted to the IPU are not disadvantaged from visiting a parent. Children can be included as named visitors by a patient. In consultation with the ward staff, other children of the patient (not named as a visitor) may visit as long as they visit with a named visitor.
When a patient is dying, we will do our best to enable more visitors than the two named to visit. We know how important being present with a family member is in the last hours; for the patient and for relatives.
A senior nurse will speak to the named visitors and in consultation will decide an appropriate number of additional visitors. Please follow the instructions of the nursing staff around visiting at this time. In this circumstance, visiting hours will not apply.
We understand how difficult it is for everybody at this time. Thank you for working with us to prioritise everyone’s safety.
