We understand the worry caused by having a loved one in hospital, and we appreciate the contribution which family and friends can make towards a patient’s general wellbeing and recovery from illness. Our aim is to ensure patients in hospital can benefit from visits from friends and family in a safe and supportive way. In April 2023, we relaxed our visiting rules as part of our approach to ‘learning to live with Covid’. The information below sets out how we now support patient visiting across all of our hospital services.

We very much welcome essential caregivers to visit their relatives and provide the kinds of support they would usually offer, such as help at mealtimes and with personal care. Should there be exceptional circumstances, for example if a patient is extremely ill or dying, and for those with learning disabilities or dementia, we will be happy to flex our approach to visiting and make special arrangements if necessary. Please feel free to discuss your requirements and those of your loved one at any time with the ward sister, charge nurse or nurse in charge.

Rules for all visitors to all departments

• Face masks are no longer essential when visiting loved ones in hospital, including at the patient’s bedside, on hospital corridors or in other public areas/areas of high footfall. There are a small number of exceptions in high risk areas such as the Queen’s Centre, Ward 50 and the Dialysis Unit, where we ask that visitors continue to wear a face covering at the bedside unless clinically exempt.
• Visitors must wash their hands thoroughly on arrival and on leaving the ward / department.
• Patients with confirmed Covid-19 or other infections will not be allowed visitors, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Should there be a rise in infections or an outbreak on a ward, we will temporarily close the ward to visitors and all non-essential staff to minimise the risk of spreading infection.
• Children under the age of 12 should not visit for infection control reasons, due to the risks posed to both child and patient(s). Any exceptions must be agreed by the nurse or midwife in charge. All children must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.
• Visitors must refrain from sitting on beds and use chairs provided.
• Please do not visit if you have signs of illness such as diarrhoea, vomiting, cold or flu like symptoms, to avoid passing on any infections.

General ward visiting

• Visiting hours are between 11.00am and 7.00pm with a maximum of two visitors per patient at any one time.
• The two visitors do not have to be the same two visitors throughout the patient’s hospital stay, but friends and family are encouraged to coordinate visiting between themselves before arriving at hospital.
• We encourage visiting at mealtimes in order that you may help loved ones with eating and drinking.
• Please be patient; sometimes you may be asked to step away from your relative if they need assessment or treatment.
• On occasions, we may need to close a ward for infection control reasons. If this is the case, visiting will still be allowed in certain circumstances, so please discuss how this might affect your loved one and any specific needs they may have with the ward sister, charge nurse or nurse in charge.

Emergency Department (ED)

• A maximum of one visitor per patient is permitted in ED unless there are exceptional circumstances and subject to agreement with the charge nurse or sister.
• In Children’s ED, both parents / guardians may attend but if the waiting room becomes crowded, we may ask one of you to wait elsewhere.

Outpatients

• A maximum of one visitor may accompany a patient to their Outpatients appointment, unless there are exceptional circumstances and subject to agreement with the charge nurse or sister.

Intensive Care Units, HRI and Castle Hill

Please contact ICU to make visiting arrangements for your relative or loved one. Each unit will make every effort to safely accommodate visiting for critically ill patients, though this may be subject to restrictions on numbers of visitors at any given time.

Maternity, Neonatal Care and Paediatrics

Appointments and scans

• Women attending the Antenatal Day Unit for growth scans and any antenatal appointments are able to bring one adult with them.

Fatima Allam Birth Centre and Labour Ward

A maximum of two birth partners may attend for the duration of a woman’s labour and birth.

Antenatal and Postnatal Wards

• Visiting by a single birth partner is permitted 9.00am – 9.00pm. A second birth partner may also attend between the hours of 3.00pm – 4.00pm, and 6.00pm – 7.00pm.
• Visiting by children is permitted between the hours of 3.00pm – 4.00pm, and 6.00pm – 7.00pm. Please note that a child counts as one of a woman’s two permitted visitors during these hours.

Neonatal Care

• Babies in receipt of Neonatal Intensive Care are allowed a maximum of two parents/main carers at any time of day or night. All efforts are made to give parents the chance to be together with critically ill babies.
• Siblings and grandparents are permitted to visit between 2.00pm and 7.00pm; children must be supervised.

Paediatric High Dependency Unit, Woodland Ward and Acorn Ward

Two parents / guardians are permitted at any time. Visits by siblings must be arranged with the ward in advance. For children staying in hospital more than 48 hours, other visitors are permitted for one hour on arrangement with the ward.

Paediatric Assessment Unit

Two parents/main carers may attend with the child for assessment, no siblings please.

Ward 33, Queens Centre

• Due to the clinical vulnerability of this patient group, we ask that visitors to the high dependency area of Ward 33 take a lateral flow test which produces a negative test result before visiting the hospital.

What should I bring?

If you are planning to visit a loved one in hospital, you may wish to bring them things to support their personal care and/or to keep them occupied. In general, patients in hospital may benefit from:

• Toiletries such as deodorant, soap/shower gel and toothbrush/toothpaste
• Hairbrush or comb
• Change of nightwear/clothing
• Items to keep them occupied e.g. books or puzzles
• A small amount of money e.g. to buy a drink or newspaper
• Mobile phone and charger
• Snacks or cordials (please discuss what might be suitable with a health professional first)

Please do not bring:

• Valuable items or items of significant sentimental value
• Flowers

Patient Mail

We would kindly ask that you do not post mail or parcels to patients in hospital. As patients can move between wards or be discharged at home at short notice, we cannot guarantee a parcel’s journey to the right place/person and cannot be held responsible for non-delivery. Our internal mailing system is not designed to handle large volumes of incoming patient mail, and must be used to support NHS business/movement of documentation first and foremost.

You are welcome to bring items in person as outlined above. If there is something specific you would like to bring or that your loved one is asking for and you’re at all unsure about its suitability, please ask a member of ward staff for advice.

Ward Contact Numbers

Hull Royal Infirmary

Castle Hill Hospital

This information was last reviewed on: 16 September 2022