In response to the increasing transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and for the safety of patients, visitors and staff, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is implementing temporary restrictions to hospital visiting on adult and mental health wards.
The temporary changes will apply from Monday 20 December. These include:
- Patients in shared accommodation such as Nightingale type wards and 4 and 6 bedded bays will be able to have essential visits only
- Patients in single room accommodation will be able to benefit from the support of one visitor each day. This visitor can change each day.
- Patients in paediatrics, neonates and maternity wards are able to benefit from a maximum of two visitors each day.
Arrangements will be kept under close review with an update to follow regarding visiting on Christmas Day.
In line with standard infection prevention and control practice, wards with current active infection cases are required to temporarily restrict visiting to essential visits only. When active cases are resolved, the temporary visiting arrangements described above will apply.
Jennifer Rodgers, Deputy Nurse Director at NHSGGC, said: “This has been a difficult decision, but it is essential to help keep our patients, families and staff safe. We recognise how difficult this is for everyone and we will keep this under close review to minimise the impact this has on patients, families and staff – and I want to thank everyone for doing their bit to help stop the spread of this virus.
“Essential visiting arrangements will be applied flexibly and compassionately, and each patient’s needs considered on their own merits. Carers, those providing essential care or emotional support, or spiritual care, are not considered to be visitors and may continue to visit a patient in hospital.
“If you are planning to visit a relative and are unsure of what visiting guidelines apply, please either call the ward or go to our website where you will find more information.”
Jennifer added: “It is important if you feel unwell with either COVID-19 symptoms or other respiratory infections, that you do not visit. Even if you feel fine, please take a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test before every visit, and only visit if this is negative. If it is positive, start self-isolating and book a PCR test.
“In addition to keeping two metres apart wherever possible, and complying with hand hygiene requirements, we are also asking everyone visiting our hospitals to use a Fluid Resistant Surgical Mask (FSRM) instead of a fabric face covering unless you are exempt. You can pick up one of these at our hospital entrances.”
Angela O’Neill, Deputy Nurse Director at NHSGGC, said that hospital teams will do their utmost to keep people connected. She said: “Our ward teams are also committed to providing virtual visits, with video and phone calls to keep people in touch – and our fantastic Give and Go volunteers will be on-hand if you need to get some essentials to your family member.
“I am truly sorry that it is necessary to change our visiting arrangements and I fully understand the impact that this will have on our patients and their families. We know this is a difficult and worrying time for patients and families, and I’m grateful for everyone’s co-operation and support in helping us to keep our patients, families and staff safe.”
Full details of the changes to visiting can be found here: https://www.nhsggc.scot/hospitals-services/our-hospitals/
Funny old world and are the restrictions optional. Or will there be Police enforcement for the some, whilst others, do as they please.
I think we know the answer to that and it’s not restricted to a certain street in London. It was very much the case too in Scotland. In fact Wee Nikola was videoed at a function in a pub not wearing her mask, but like Boris Johnson she had every explanation to excuse herself.
Or what of the Tory political tour of Scotland where Johnson and his entourage at the height of lockdown flew into Glasgow Airport, visited a private laboratory near the QE2 hospital for a photo shoot and then off for another at the Irn Bru factory in Cumbernauld before thereafter convening a party team building meeting.
Did Police Scotland take any action following the many complaints. Of course not the political circus show was a working meeting. No action to be taken. Good old rotten and corrupt Police Scotland.
Of course Police Scotland had plenty of police to force their way in to local homes on suspicion of their being people from more than two families present. Indeed there was one instance where family from the Vale were one afternoon visited by three squad cars and six officers who after searching through their house found that the five people in the house a father, two sons, and two friends who were watching television were not all from the same family – and so fixed penalties all round.
But this was happening all over Scotland. Penalties for walking in groups on the West Highland way, penalties for crossing council boundaries.
The stench of rotten stinking bias and partiality in our police and politicians offends most ordinary people’s nostrils. They died alone, they were buried alone, and the politico’s without let our hindrance partied.