Patients and Visitors

From Monday 17 April, all patients, staff, and visitors are no longer required to wear face masks in most clinical areas, unless it is their personal preference to do so. 

To continue to protect those who are most vulnerable and at high risk, we ask that the wearing of face masks continues where immunocompromised patients are treated for example in oncology, haematology, intensive care and chemotherapy departments.

These changes have been made due to the rate of positive COVID-19 cases remaining at a consistently low level in the community, and is in line with national guidance on the mandated use of face masks in healthcare settings.

It remains a priority to help to keep each other, our patients and our community safe and in order to continue to protect those who are vulnerable and of high risk, the following guidance must be followed:

• We ask visitors to stay away if they have respiratory or COVID-19 symptoms
• Visitors who are immunocompromised should continue to wear a mask if this can be tolerated
• Visitors may be asked to wear a face mask for specific reasons including in our ‘higher risk’ clinical areas, such as the respiratory department and intensive care unit. Please speak to the ward or department you are visiting if you are unsure whether you need to wear a face mask.
• Vulnerable and high-risk patients and visitors can ask staff members to wear a face mask, and these will continue to be available to those who choose to wear one.
• All visitors should continue to sanitise their hands on entering and leaving the hospital and ward or department.

Many people will continue to choose to wear a face mask as their personal preference and this decision will be fully supported by the Trust.

Every entrance will continue to have a supply of masks and hand gel for people to use as they enter our hospital site.

Every entrance will continue to have a supply of masks and hand gel for people to use as they enter our hospital site.

There are other things to we can continue to do that will help to keep everyone safe:

• Use hand gel when visiting the hospital or other Trust sites
• Stay away from hospital if you have symptoms, or are a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
• Attend appointments on your own, wherever possible
• Choose the right service if you are unwell and need medical advice – consider a pharmacy, visiting NHS 111 online or contacting your GP
• If it is an emergency, always call 999

We would like to thank everyone for their support, and to be assured that our COVID-19 measures will be regularly reviewed.

Ward visiting information

Patients on most wards can have 2 visitors a day for 1 hour between 10am and 8pm and it doesn’t need to be the same people each day.

Visitors are no longer required to book a visiting slot.

Wards where the guidance may be different include - ICU, Mottistone, Paediatrics and Maternity/SCBU and mental health wards, visitors should contact the ward area as the guidance may be different in those areas.

Please be guided by ward/department staff in regard to the need to wear a face mask in the area you are visiting.

Ward name	Phone number
Alverstone	534711
Appley Ward	Ext 4589 or 5505
Colwell Ward	534472
Compton Ward	Ext: 4055 or 4056
Coronary Care Unit	552142
ICU	Ext: 4752/4753/5550
Mottistone	534291
Short Stay Unit (SSU)	534707
Luccombe	Ext: 4716 or 4714
St Helens	Ext: 4701 or 4702
Stroke Unit	Ext: 4311 or 5499
Wellow	Ext: 3729

Additional information

Maternity Department

Two birth partners are allowed and up to 2 siblings at a time may visit with an adult.

Who to contact

If you have questions about this guidance or how to implement it, please contact: Patient Experience Team on: 01983 534420 or via email: iownt.PatientExperience@nhs.net