Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

This information was updated and is correct as of 6 January 2022.

COVID-19 Homepage	General/visiting Information for Bristol and Weston
Outpatient hospital appointments (not including maternity)	Maternity services
Share your experiences of our services during COVID-19	Share a message with your loved one in hospital

Please use the sections above to find out the latest information about visiting, outpatient appointments, maternity services, how to share your experiences of our services during COVID-19, and how share a message with your loved one in hospital. Below you can find the latest information on guidance on face masks and advice around lateral flow testing.

Changes to visitor and birthing partner guidance – from Friday 7 January 2022

In response to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the local area and to maintain the safety of patients and staff, we have taken the difficult decision to make the following temporary changes:

• From Friday 7 January, visiting to adult inpatient wards will be suspended (excluding maternity).
• From Friday 7 January, one nominated birthing partner only can be with you during labour and the birth.

All other visitor guidance for maternity services and children’s services remains unchanged at this time.

View all of our current visitor guidance for our hospitals. 

View all of our current visitor guidance for maternity services. 

We understand this is difficult for patients and their loved ones, but we want to do all that we can to keep our patients and staff safe.

Exceptions can be made on compassionate grounds, and for vulnerable patients including patients with dementia or learning disabilities, patients with a key carer, and patients receiving end-of-life care.

These exceptions must be arranged in advance and approved by the nurse in charge on the ward. Please contact the ward to discuss and make arrangements.

Where visiting is permitted please:

• Carry out a lateral flow test regardless of vaccination status – accessed from the COVID-19 website - https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests before a visit.
• Wear a surgical face mask (unless exempt from doing so) which are available at all hospital entrances.
• Follow hand hygiene and social distancing advice, regularly washing your hands and using alcohol gel.
• Do not visit in any circumstances if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days or are self-isolating (please check nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ for the current guidance).

We know it is important for our patients to keep in contact with family and friends and we will support them where possible to make telephone or video calls so they can keep in contact with their loved ones. Free WiFi is available at our hospitals. If you need support to keep in touch with your loved one please speak to the ward staff. Alternatively, you can use our Message to My Loved One service. Find out more.

For the latest information and advice about COVID-19 visit the national NHS website at: nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 

Everyone accessing or visiting our healthcare services must continue to wear a face mask and follow social distancing rules from 19 July 2021.

The   national guidance for healthcare settings remains unchanged. This means anyone coming into hospital before and after 19 July 2021 must continue to:

• Clean your hands before entering and leaving the building and use the hand sanitiser outside each ward, department or area.
• Wear a surgical face mask (unless exempt from doing so) which are available at all hospital entrances. Guidance around exemptions is available on the   Government website. Please notify us on attendance if you are exempt from wearing a face mask. The Trust will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments, if appropriate.
• Give others space. Continue to follow the maximum room and lift capacity advice.

These measures are important so that the most vulnerable people can continue to safely attend hospital, and to help protect our staff and patients by reducing the risk of infection.

We strongly advise hospital visitors to all hospital sites, to carry out a lateral flow test before coming into the hospital. This is for the safety of patients, staff and visitors. Visitors can order lateral flow test kits from the COVID-19 website and then report the test result on the national COVID-19 website.

Pregnant women and their support people are advised to undertake lateral flow testing twice weekly during pregnancy and test within 24 hours before an appointment. Pregnant women and their support people are able to   order tests online to self-administer at home and report your COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result on the main COVID-19 website.

Please do not attend if you have any COVID-19 symptoms/have tested positive or you've been advised to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.

Updated: 6 January 2022