Covid-19

Visiting information from 10/12/21

The safety of our patients, staff and visitors is our priority and therefore the Trust has taken the decision to review visiting guidance over the winter period. These changes will support our aim to reduce the potential for COVID-19 transmission from the community into the hospital. This will enable us to safely support patients accessing hospital services during periods of high operational pressures.

We understand how important it is for patients to have an opportunity to meet with their loved ones while in hospital and we will always do everything we can to facilitate this, but we do ask for your understanding when it is not possible.

• Any inpatient in hospital on Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be allowed one visitor. Please speak to the Nurse in Charge, who will be happy to book your visit.
• Adult inpatient visiting – one visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more. Visitors must book in via the ward. Each visitor must have a risk assessment and wear the appropriate PPE.
• Emergency Department (adults) - one visitor per patient. All patients and visitors will be asked to fill out a Covid risk assessment on arrival for track and trace purposes. Please bear with us as this may take time when booking in. All patients and visitors will need to wear a mask at all times within the Emergency Department (ED) unless proven to be exempt. We are required to keep observing the 2m social distance rule within the ED so capacity is reduced. As a result of this, we may have to ask non-carers to leave the ED if a high volumes of patients present – thank you in advance for your understanding should this occur.
• Emergency Department (Paediatrics) - respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common, and very contagious virus that infects the respiratory tract that can be serious in children and older patients. Cases are on the rise so in order to reduce the risk of cross infection of Covid and RSV, and to protect our patients and staff, we currently ask that only one parent accompanies their child and where possible no siblings accompany patients into ED. Two parents can only attend with the discretion of the paediatric nurse in charge. All adults are required to wear a mask on arrival and fill out the risk assessment for Covid.
• ICU – visiting patients on ICU is still restricted. We will always try and facilitate visiting for patients undergoing end of life care, and patients who have carers.
  When a patient is critically unwell or has come off the enhanced recovery pathway after surgery, one named visitor will be considered on a case by case basis.
  Please be mindful that we reserve the right to restrict visitors to ICU to protect patients with immune suppression, the risk of infection to visitors, or to reflect any changes in local and national infection control guidance.
• Chilworth Ward - patients having their first round of chemotherapy can be accompanied by one adult from their household (or a carer or interpretor from outside their household).
• Carers of adult inpatients - flexible visiting is in place for carers of those with Learning Disabilities, Dementia and additional needs e.g. interpreters – please contact the nurse in charge for the area you wish to visit to discuss visiting arrangements. For those attending outpatients appointments reasonable adjustments can be made to support those with additional needs. Please highlight this to the department you are attending before your visit.
• End of life care - daily visits are to be agreed by the matron or nurse in charge for up to four people.
• Outpatient appointments - one person from the same household, or carer from outside of the household, may accompany an adult if assistance is needed.
• Pre-Assessment Unit (OPD 15) - one person may accompany the patient to drop-off and pick-up only, unless the patient needs a carer or interpretor.
• EAU - no visiting is allowed
• Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) - one person can accompany a patient (due to limited space inside, patients and their accompanying person will continue to be asked to wait outside where possible).
• Surgical unit (Day Surgery, Short Stay Unit, Frensham Ward) - no visiting is allowed.
• Visitors for business - can now enter the Trust premises by appointment only. Each visitor must have a risk assessment and wear the appropriate PPE.

If you have anything you would like to drop off to a patient, please use our Patient Property Drop-off service (you can find more information below).

Haslemere and Milford Community sites

• One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more. Visitors must book in via the ward. Each visitor must have a risk assessment and wear the appropriate PPE. Flexible visiting is in place for carers of those with Learning Disabilities, Dementia and additional needs e.g. interpreters – please contact the nurse in charge for the area you wish to visit to discuss visiting arrangements.

Ward specific rules

Hascombe Ward

• Two parent/carers allowed to visit per patient. Both must have negative lateral flow tests. No siblings or grandparents allowed. This is under constant review.

Special Care Baby Unit

• One parent can stay with their baby on the unit. The other may visit at any time. Both parents must have negative lateral flow tests. Grandparents are able to book a visit with a negative lateral flow test.

Maternity

• One partner from the same household is welcome to attend the 12 and 20 weeks ultrasound scan only.
• One partner to support women on the Antenatal Ward during the daytime.
• One partner to support the woman on the Postnatal Ward from 9am - 8pm.
• Two birth partners are welcome to accompany any women while they are on the delivery suite - this is not dependant on stage of labour.
• Lateral flow test to be completed for every visit to outpatients and in-patient settings. Please upload to the Government portal and be prepared to show evidence of this to a staff member on arrival.
• Read more about maternity visiting restrictions here.

 

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Ward/Unit	Location	Contact Number	Visiting rule
Albury Ward	East Wing, Level E	01483 402 773 Ext. 6448/2169	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Ambulatory Emergency Care	East Wing, Level B	01483 571 122 Ext. 6988/2514	Currently cannot take accept visitors (excluding carers) due to reduced capacity.
Bramshott Ward	East Wing, Level C	01483 571 122 Ext 4065/4064	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Chilworth Unit	West Wing, Level F		Patients having their first round of chemotherapy can be accompanied by an adult from their household (or a carer or interpreter from outside of their household).
Clandon Ward	East Wing, Level C	01483 571 122 Ext 4067/4359	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Compton Ward	East Wing, Level C	01483 571 122 Ext 4941/6372	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Coronary Care Unit	East Wing, Level E	01483 464 016	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Day Surgery Unit	The Day Surgery Unit is located at the back of the hospital and can be accessed by the entrance on Egerton Road.	01483 406 783	Visiting is currently suspended for this unit.
Delivery Suite	West wing, Level G	01483 464 133 Ext 4699	Two birth partners are welcome to accompany any women while they are on the delivery suite - this is not dependant on stage of labour.
Eashing Ward	East Wing, Level D	01483 571 122 Ext 4081/4082	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Elstead Ward	East Wing, Level D	01483 464 083 Ext 4083/4084	Visiting is currently suspended for this ward.
Emergency Assessment Unit	East Wing, Level B	01483 571 122 Ext 2127/2616	Visiting is currently suspended for EAU.
Ewhurst Ward	East Wing, Level C	01483 571 122 Ext 4073	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more
Frensham Ward	East Wing, Level D		Visiting is currently suspended for this ward.
Guildford Ward	Outside of the main building of our county hospital.	01483 571122 ext 3477	Visiting at the discretion of the nurse in charge.
Hindhead Ward	East Wing, Level D	01483 406 770	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Intensive Care Unit	East Wing, Level B	01483 464 025	Visiting patients on ICU is still restricted. We will always try and facilitate visiting for patients undergoing end of life care, and patients who have carers. When a patient is critically unwell or has come off the enhanced recovery after surgery, one named visitor will be considered on a case by case basis. Please be mindful that we reserve the right to refuse visitors to ICU to protect patients with immune suppression, the risk of infection to visitors, or to reflect any changes in local and national infection control guidance.
Merrow Ward	East Wing, Level E	01483 571122 ext 4098/4099/2592	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Millbridge Ward	East Wing, Level E	01483 464 191	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Onslow Ward	West Wing, Level F	01483 571 122	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Shere Ward	West wing, Level G	01483 464 134 Ext 4702	One partner is able to visit the woman on the Postnatal Ward between 9am and 8pm. No siblings/children.
St Catherine's Ward	West wing, Level G	01483 464 147	One partner is able to visit women on the Antenatal Ward during the daytime.
Special Care Baby Unit	West wing, Level G	01483 464 834	One parent can stay with their baby on the unit. The other may visit at any time.
Surgical Short Stay Unit	Situated at the very front corner of the hospital (Level B).	01483 406 828	Visiting is currently suspended on the Surgical Short Stay Unit.
Wisley Ward	East Wing, Level E	01483 571122 ext 4822/6454	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.

 

Milford Hospital

Ward/Unit	Location	Contact Number	Visiting rule
Holly Ward	Milford Hospital	01483 956 400	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more. Visiting is allowed between 2pm - 5pm, however allowances can be agreed with the ward if relatives work those hours - carers and EOL cases are exempt from this time restriction.
Oak Ward	Milford Hospital	01483 956 400	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more. Visiting is allowed between 2pm - 5pm, however allowances can be agreed with the ward if relatives work those hours - carers and EOL cases are exempt from this time restriction.

 

Haslemere Hospital

Ward/Unit	Location	Contact Number	Visiting rule
Elizabeth Ward	Haslemere Hospital	01483 956 500	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.
Godwin Ward	Haslemere Hospital	01483 956 500	One visitor is permitted for one hour, every five days, when the length of stay is five days or more.

 

The ICU and Medical teams have written two documents which provide information for families and friends of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

These are:

Information for families of inpatients with COVID-19

Information for families saying goodbye from a distance

 

Our district and community nursing service is continuing but they will prioritise urgent and semi-urgent cases. 

If you or a member of your household have symptoms of Coronavirus* and are expecting a home visit from a member of the community or district nursing team, please contact the Community Co-ordination Centre. 

Our district and community nursing team routinely wear a uniform when they are visiting patients and when they travel between patients. They are therefore extremely experienced at carrying out risk assessments to ensure they follow appropriate infection control and prevention practices and use the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect their uniform from contamination.

We have developed advice sheets to assist community patients with self care, which can be found by clicking here.

*Coronavirus symptoms are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss, or change, of smell or taste.

We have reviewed and adapted our cancer services. We have put specific arrangements in place for each service as detailed on our St Luke’s cancer centre page.

A set of frequently asked questions has been developed by the One Cancer Voice group of charities.​

Surrey Heartlands has created a new information sheet for Surrey parents, highlighting the health and wellbeing services and support available to them during Covid-19.

This includes information on new local initiatives including the DadPad App, HANDi app and the new virtual postnatal peer support groups which are just starting, alongside existing services such as the Children and Family Health Surrey Advice Line and national resources like Every Mind Matters.

View support and information for parents and families in Surrey Heartlands during the coronavirus pandemic

As Coronavirus has been declared a pandemic, all treatment for the virus is free to all no matter your immigration status.

Patients will be swabbed 72 hours before their procedure. They will then need to self-isolate until admission.

Washing your hands

While coronavirus is not likely to survive for long periods of time on outdoor surfaces in sunlight, it can live for more than 24 hours in indoor environments. Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer, regularly throughout the day will reduce the risk of catching or passing on the virus. Please ensure you are washing your hands regularly and using hand sanitiser when you can.

Covering your face

Coronavirus is carried in the air by tiny respiratory droplets that carry the virus. Larger droplets can land on other people or on surfaces they touch while smaller droplets, called aerosols, can stay in the air indoors for at least five minutes, and often much longer if there is no ventilation. Face coverings reduce the dispersion of these droplets, meaning if you’re carrying the virus you’re less likely to spread it when you exhale. 

Both staff and patients at the Trust will be required to wear a surgical face mask.

Making space

Transmission of the virus is most likely to happen within two metres, with risk increasing exponentially at shorter distances. While keeping this exact distance isn’t always possible, remaining mindful of surroundings and continuing to make space has a powerful impact when it comes to containing the spread. Please continue to keep at least a two metre distance from others.

You can read the latest government guidance on shielding here.

You can find relevant information on testing in Surrey here.

A revised, bespoke page clearly sets out who is now eligible for a test, how to book, information about the different types of tests available, and useful videos explaining how testing is carried out.