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.

At the same time, we have a responsibility to protect our staff and patients from infection and we have a duty to balance the risks posed by visitors with the benefits they bring for patient health and wellbeing.

While Covid-19 continues to present a level of risk to our most vulnerable patients and to business continuity, our latest visiting rules are as follows:

Rules for all visitors to all departments

• We kindly ask visitors to wear a face covering when at a patient’s bedside or in a high risk area such as oncology, the Queen’s Centre, Ward 50, or the dialysis unit (unless clinically exempt). Face coverings are no longer required on hospital corridors or in other circulating areas, including hospital grounds.
• Visitors must wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival and exit.
• Patients with confirmed Covid-19 or who are suspected to have the virus will not be allowed visitors, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
• All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.
• Children under the age of 12 should not visit for infection control reasons, due to the risks posed to both child and patient(s). Exceptions must be agreed by the nurse or midwife in charge and a child will count as one of a patient’s two designated visitors.
• Visitors must refrain from sitting on beds and use the chairs provided.
• Visitors are encouraged to conduct a lateral flow test where possible and generate a negative test result before coming to hospital to limit the spread of Covid-19.
• Visitors must not attend hospital with signs of illness such as diarrhoea, vomiting, cold or flu like symptoms to avoid passing infections to vulnerable people.

General ward visiting

• Ward visiting slots of up to two hours can now be booked for up to two visitors at a time.
• Visits can be arranged anytime between 11am and 7pm but must not exceed two hours per patient per day.
• Visits must be booked in advance with the ward sister or charge nurse; this will enable them to safely stagger/manage the volume of visitors on a ward at any one time.
• The two visitors do not have to be the same two visitors throughout the duration of the patient’s hospital stay, but friends and family are encouraged to coordinate between themselves before visiting or contacting the ward to lessen the burden on staff.
• Visits can be made over mealtimes to assist loved ones with feeding if preferred.
• Visiting by children aged under 12 must be agreed in advance with the ward sister or charge nurse. A child would constitute one of the two permitted visitors per patient, and they must always be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.
• Flexibility or special arrangements may be agreed in certain circumstances e.g. for patients on end of life care pathways, those who are seriously ill, and those with learning disabilities or dementia. This should always follow discussion with the charge nurse or sister.
• At the current time, visiting is limited to a maximum of two hours per patient per day. This can be taken as 1 x two-hour block or as smaller periods of time e.g. 2 x one-hour visits, and this will be kept under continual review.
• Visitors must cover their faces at all times whilst on the ward and wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival and exit.
• Visitors are encouraged to conduct a lateral flow test and generate a negative test result before coming to hospital to avoid spreading Covid-19.
• IMPORTANT: We reserve the right to further restrict or put a temporary halt on visiting at times when there is considered to be a significant risk of infection spreading among patients or visitors e.g. if a ward is affected by a Covid-19 or Norovirus outbreak. In such circumstances, we will attempt to notify pre-booked visitors in advance.

Emergency Care (A&E)

• A maximum of one visitor per patient applies in A&E unless there are exceptional circumstances and subject to agreement with the charge nurse or sister.
• Visitors must cover their faces at all times and wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival and exit.
• Visitors are encouraged to conduct a lateral flow test where possible and generate a negative test result before coming to hospital to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Children’s A&E

• A maximum of one parent/guardian should accompany their child in Children’s A&E. This may be flexed in exceptional circumstances, following agreement with the charge nurse or sister on duty.
• Visitors must cover their faces at all times and wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival and exit.
• Visitors are encouraged to conduct a lateral flow test if at all possible which produces a negative test result before coming to hospital to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Outpatients

• A maximum of one visitor, friend or family member may accompany a patient to their Outpatients appointment, unless there are exceptional circumstances and subject to agreement with the charge nurse or sister.
• Visitors must cover their faces at all times whilst in the Outpatients clinic and wash their hands thoroughly upon arrival and exit.
• Visitors are encouraged to conduct a lateral flow test and generate a negative test result before attending the clinic to avoid spreading Covid-19.

Queen’s Centre (Oncology and Haematology patients)

• Ward visiting slots of up to two hours can be booked for up to two visitors at a time.
• Visits can be arranged anytime between 11am and 7pm but must not exceed two hours per patient per day.
• The two visitors do not have to be the same two visitors throughout the duration of the patient’s hospital stay, but friends and family are encouraged to coordinate between themselves before visiting or contacting the ward to lessen the burden on staff. The exception to this is for transplant patients, where we ask that a maximum of two named visitors are nominated for the duration of the patient’s stay.
• Visits must be booked in advance with the ward sister or charge nurse; this will enable them to safely stagger/manage the volume of visitors on a ward at any one time.
• Those visiting transplant patients should be prepared to have their temperatures checked before going into the unit to minimise the risk of infections/illness being passed to this vulnerable patient group.

Intensive Care Units, Hull Royal and Castle Hill

Please contact the relevant ICU to make direct 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 are able to bring one adult with them to the department.
• Women attending scans to check on the growth of their baby throughout their pregnancy can also bring their partner or another adult.
• Women attending appointments at the Antenatal Clinic can bring one adult to support them.
• Women attending community midwifery appointments can bring one adult to support 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 between 9am and 9pm, with no restrictions on length of stay within that 12hr period.
• A second birth partner may also attend between the hours of 3 – 4pm and 6 – 7pm.
• Visiting by children is permitted between the hours of 3 – 4pm and 6 – 7pm only. 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 2pm and 7pm with no restrictions on their length of stay within these hours. Children must be supervised at all times.
• Given the seriously ill nature of the babies on NICU, all visitors to the unit (aged 12 years and over) are expected to conduct a lateral flow test before they attend and be able to provide evidence of a negative test result.

Paediatric High Dependency Unit and Ward 130

A maximum of two adult visitors per child are permitted at any time. Visits by siblings must be arranged with the ward in advance.

Paediatric Assessment Unit

A maximum of two parents/main carers may attend with the child for assessment. Siblings are not permitted.

Acorn Ward

• Each child is permitted a maximum of one adult visitor at any time of day/night. A second parent or main carer can swap with that person to allow for respite etc.
• Exceptions can be made for babies transferred to the ward from NICU.
• Siblings may only visit by prior arrangement/agreement with the ward sister.

For easy read guides on Covid-19, including advice on handwashing, coronavirus testing and face coverings, please visit the Mencap website.

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