New visiting guidelines
We welcome updated Welsh Government guidance to NHS Wales about visitors coming onto our sites, including those accompanying patients to some specific appointments.
Visitors are important for the wellbeing of patients, and some very limited visiting is already in place for exceptional circumstances. We’re also continuing to support alternatives to face-to-face visiting, like virtual visiting.
The new guidance offers more flexibility around on-site visiting. But it also makes it clear that for safety reasons we cannot yet return to pre-Covid arrangements.
We are urgently working on how we will follow this latest guidance safely. However we are not in a position to implement all of it from Monday, 20th July, so we are introducing it in a phased approach over the coming weeks (details below.)
This is because we must ensure it is as safe as possible for everyone to maintain social distancing, and we need to put some practical measures in place to manage this.
Unfortunately we are not yet able to allow visitors to accompany patients to antenatal scans or any other non-ward based tests. We are aware that this is an important aspect of the new guidance and we will do all we can to put safeguards in place to offer these visits as soon as possible.
Phase One
From Monday, 20th July, we are able to offer:
End of life visiting – last days of life
Up to a maximum of two people at a time, from the same household or extended household.
Visitors from a separate household may also be able to visit, but at a different time.
Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
We are maximising opportunities for outside visiting in our hospital and site grounds.
One visitor at a time, except when the visitor requires assistance to carry out the visit, e.g. help to push the patient’s wheelchair; in which case an additional person can join the visit to assist.
In cases where patients require the support of staff to facilitate a visit outside, the availability of staff will need to be taken into account when the visit is arranged.
Unfortunately we cannot allow higher numbers of visitors as our outside area space is limited and other patients may also be receiving visitors.
Mortuary visits
Relatives will now be able to visit the bodies of their loved ones in our mortuaries. Up to two members of a household or extended household may visit the mortuary once, but viewings must be pre-booked. Please call 01792 703250 to arrange a mortuary visit.
How to arrange a Phase One visit
Visitors must contact the ward beforehand to make arrangements to visit, as drop-in visiting is not permitted.
Social distancing
Social distancing and hand hygiene are top priorities. Please follow all instructions from staff, including wearing PPE, like face coverings, if necessary. Please note that no-one can visit who has Covid-19 symptoms or who has been identified as being in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19, or is unwell generally.
Updates
As we work through the practical measures to ensure safe visiting/social distancing we will regularly update our website and social media with details of future visiting arrangements.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.