Visiting or attending hospital during Covid

Visiting or attending our hospital

We know how important a visit from a loved one is for our patients, their families, friends and carers. We are facilitating safe visiting in line with national guidance.

Our current visiting guidance is set out below. Visiting is no longer restricted to one hour a day, and visiting is no longer required to be booked by telephone.

We continue to ask all visitors to wear a facemask, unless medically exempt, on all our sites. This is for the safety of our patients, visitors and staff.

Information for all visitors

You must wear a surgical facemask at all times in our hospitals, including our community hospitals. This is for your safety and to help stop the spread of infection to our patients and staff. If you are medically exempt, please inform the staff at the time of the visit.
Upon arrival to the ward please speak with a member of staff prior to visiting the patient in the bay. This is to make sure that a patient’s visitors do not exceed the maximum amount of visitors allowed at each bedside.
We are facilitating flexible visiting for carers for our patients 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.
Do not visit if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or any other infections (such as a temperature or diarrhoea / vomiting). If you are feeling unwell – even if you have tested negative for Covid-19, are fully vaccinated and have received you booster – you should not visit.
If you test positive following your visit- please inform the nurse in charge of the department visited as soon as possible.
Visiting to COVID-19 positive patients. This will be at the discretion of the nurse/consultant in charge, patients at the end of life will continue to have visiting of up to four people, per patient can be supported by the matron or nurse in charge.

Outpatient appointments (children and adults)

One visitor may accompany a patient.

Adult inpatient wards

Two visitors per patient. Visitors can be different each day. Visiting times will be between 2-4pm and 6-8pm.
End of life care - An individualised approach is in place for each patient but in general daily visits of up to four people, per patient can be supported by the matron or nurse in charge.
Upon arrival to the ward please speak with a member of staff prior to visiting the patient in the bay

Intensive Care Unit

Visiting the unit is at the discretion of the Nurse/Consultant in charge. We will always facilitate visiting for patients undergoing end of life care, and patients who are supported by named carers. Our general approach is for one named visitor 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.

Children’s ward (Hascombe)

Two dedicated parents/carers are welcome to attend the ward during visiting hours, plus siblings. One dedicated parent is able to stay overnight.
Visiting hours are 8am - 8pm

Emergency department

Our Emergency Department is currently very busy. Please note that patients will be seen in order of clinical priority, therefore if your needs are less urgent, you may face a very long wait.

If you have a life-threatening illness or injury then you should dial 999.

If your condition is not life-threatening then please contact NHS 111 before coming to the Emergency Department. They can help you right away and if you need urgent care then NHS 111 can book you in to come to the Emergency Department to seen quickly and safely.

Do you have a minor injury?

Royal Surrey runs a Minor Injuries Unit in Haslemere for adults and children over two years of age. It is led by our team of skilled Nurse Practitioners who can assess, diagnose and treat patients with minor injuries.

They can treat wounds, minor burns, suspected broken bones, minor eye injuries, minor head injuries, bites and stings. Find out more about what injuries we can treat here.

The unit often has shorter waiting times than our Emergency Department and there is no need to make an appointment, although you can call 111 for advice and a time slot to attend.

It is open from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday. The address is Haslemere Minor Injuries Unit, Church Lane, Haslemere GU27 2BJ.

What will happen when you arrive at our Emergency Department without being referred through 111?

Patients, aged 18 years and above, who arrive at ED without being referred by NHS 111 or a GP will be asked to answer a series of questions as part of our new e-triage service.

The answers given will be recorded in the system for when you see one of our streaming nurses for an initial assessment.

If appropriate, our streaming nurses may be able to book you an appointment with an alternative service, such as a GP or redirect you to the Minor Injuries Unit, Dentist, local pharmacy to be seen.

Special Care Baby Unit

Parents have open access. Grandparents and siblings are welcome to visit whilst in the presence of the baby’s parent.

Maternity

Antenatal Clinic, Scans and Maternity Hubs

Partners are welcome to attend all ultrasound scans and antenatal appointments.

Please DO NOT bring children to any antenatal appointments or ultrasound scans. The clinics are busy environments with limited space and no facilities for children. There can occasionally be long waits for appointments or further tests that are required in the maternity unit. If you bring children with you, your appointment/scan may be rescheduled to support you to attend at another time without your children.