INCREASING covid infection rates have led to the Royal Berkshire Hospital changing visitor guidelines.
New rules affect visitors to adult, paediatric and maternity wards. They came into effect on Saturday, January 1.
They include taking Lateral Flow Tests prior to visiting and wearing masks on wards.
An RBH spokesperson said that the hospital will keep the situation under review and added: “We appreciate this is very difficult for both visitors and patients but it is essential to ensure the safety of everyone at the hospital.”
Current guidelines are as follows:
- Visitors to all wards should take a Lateral Flow Test beforehand and only attend if this is negative.
- Visitors to all wards must wear a mask. Those who do not wear a mask will not be permitted to visit.
- People exempt from wearing a mask will only be permitted to visit adult wards in very exceptional circumstances. This must be discussed in advance with the ward manager or nurse in charge.
- The one person limit remains in place for visits to adult wards. These should be for essential visits only and must be pre-booked with the ward manager.
- Parents, or guardians, are able to visit paediatric wards at any time without having to make appointments. Other visitors are only allowed by exception.
- In maternity, parents and their one additional visitor do not need to make an appointment to visit.
- On the ward, a single named visitor can be with the mother from 8.30am to 8.30pm.
- The named additional visitor can visit between 2pm and 6pm. This person cannot change during the woman’s stay.
- The maximum number of people at the woman’s bedside is two.
- On the postnatal ward, the supporter and any other visitor must provide proof of a negative LFT from the last three days before visiting the ward. They need to provide a new test result every three days.
