Coronavirus / Visiting restrictions at Gilbert Bain slightly eased after Covid infection rate drops
ONE designated visitor for each patient is now allowed into the Gilbert Bain Hospital by prior arrangement, NHS Shetland has confirmed.
This comes in addition to visits deemed essential, which are:
- A birth partner during childbirth;
- A person receiving end-of- life care;
- To support someone with a mental health issue, dementia, a learning disability or autism where having a carer not present would cause the patient to be distressed;
- To accompany a child to hospital for an appointment or admission.
NHS Shetland director of nursing and acute services Kathleen Carolan said: “Now that the Covid-19 infection rate in Shetland has fallen, we are able to support one designated visitor to come for each patient who is admitted to hospital. But this visit must be agreed with the nurse/midwife in charge of the ward before arriving at hospital for the visit.
“To reduce the likelihood of Covid-19 transmission, we are not permitting visitors who have been out with Shetland in the last 10 days, or if a member of your household has been out with Shetland in the last 10 days, unless there are exceptional circumstances. The nursing team will support patients to access phone or video chat if visits are not possible.”
Visitors are asked to only bring in essential items for your relative to “help us ensure that wards are clutter-free, and we can maintain cleaning standards. If you are considering bringing flowers, please check with the nurse in charge what the best option is.”
Hand washing facilities are based at the reception main entrance and at stations outside all clinical areas. All visitors must wear a face mask provided by the hospital and NHS Shetland asks that visitors wash their hands before and after a visit.
The following general restriction applies for all visitors:
- Do not visit anyone in hospital if you have a fever/respiratory/cough or cold symptoms and loss of taste/smell;
- Do not visit if you have had any sickness or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours;
- All visitors must hand sanitise when entering and leaving clinical areas.
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