Coronavirus: Hospitals across southern England impose visitor restrictions

Some hospitals across the south of England are restricting visitors as the coronavirus pandemic escalates.

Some, like Royal Berkshire Hospital, are allowing one visitor per patient while others, like Southampton General Hospital, will only allow visiting if permitted by the nurse-in-charge.

The advice differs between hospitals and wards so visitors should check specific rules before they go.

In many cases children are not allowed to visit.

How are our hospitals affected?

Hampshire:

• Southampton General Hospital has said the preference is that no visitors come to the hospital, but will consider visits on compassionate grounds. The same restrictions are in place at the Royal South Hants Hospital, too.
• At Southampton Children's Hospital, parents only are permitted to visit. If a parent needs to be with their child and has symptoms, they are asked to call ahead and the team will plan how to keep them together safely.
• The neonatal ICU at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton is limiting visits to parents only, but the wider hospital has the same limitations as Southampton General.
• Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth is limiting visitors to one per patient, per hour.
• St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth is unable to accept any visitors to its inpatient ward, and has advised contacting the hospital for updates on relatives.
• Andover War Memorial Hospital, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Alton Community Hospital have all banned visitors unless exceptional circumstances apply, which will be at the discretion of the nurse-in-charge.

Image copyright Andrew Smith

Berkshire

• Royal Berkshire Hospital is permitting one visitor per patient, unless the patient is receiving end-of-life care. The visitor must be an immediate family member or a carer.
• Frimley Park, Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals are encouraging remote means of contact such as phone calls, and will only allow immediate family members or carers as visitors.

Dorset

• At Poole General Hospital and Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals only essential visits are being allowed, such as a patient's main carer, or birthing partner. Children have been told to avoid the hospitals altogether.
• Dorset County Hospital will be restricting visiting times to one hour between 15:00 and 20:00 GMT, and limiting visitors to one per patient, apart from on children's and neonatal wards where two adult visitors per patient will be permitted.

Image copyright Mark Pilbeam

Isle of Wight:

• St Mary's Hospital is limiting people to only essential visiting which has been arranged with the ward manager.

Oxfordshire:

• John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Horton General Hospital are all limiting visits to one visitor per patient, with visiting hours permitted from 16:00 to 19:00 GMT.

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This story was updated on 20 March 2020 after University Hospital Southampton Trust updated its guidance to visitors.