Visiting Hours
Visiting to our acute hospitals and mental health hospitals is open seven days a week between the hours 3.00pm – 4.00pm and 7.00pm – 8.30pm.
When Attending
The Western Trust allows two people at a time to attend during visiting times across adult wards, maternity wards and mental health inpatient wards.
Individual wards may, on occasion, recommend that routine visiting arrangements are suspended due to outbreaks. Where this occurs, staff will inform patients and their visitors and may also implement additional infection prevention and control measures to ensure patient and staff safety.
Visitors may be asked to rotate their visiting times to prevent overcrowding in multiple occupancy areas.
Mealtimes
Visiting at mealtimes is restricted. There are exceptions for seriously ill patients and those visitors helping out with meals. If a patient is seriously ill, close family and friends may visit out of hours, but this should be agreed with the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse.
General Maternity Wards Visiting Hours
- To ensure a peaceful, restful environment for everyone, general visiting hours are from 3 – 4pm or 7 – 8.30pm.
- One Partner/support person can visit from 9am – 8.30pm.
- For the comfort and privacy of all, we ask that no more than two visitors per bedside at any time. Visitors must be over the age of 16, unless they are siblings of the baby. In situations where there are multiple siblings, visiting can be rotated or agreed with the Sister in charge.
Community Antenatal/Postnatal & Early Pregnancy appointments
- One support person at booking appointment
- One support person at all other antenatal/postnatal appointments
- If possible children should not accompany women to ultrasound scan appointments
Labour and Birth
One birthing/support partner is welcome throughout labour and birth. An additional support person can be approved for individual circumstances, following a discussion with the Delivery Suite Manager or co-ordinating Sister.
Your responsibilities as a visitor
- Visitors should not visit hospital or community settings if they or any of their family at home has vomiting, diarrhoea, coughs, cold, flu or any other infectious conditions. Please wait until at least 48 hours or two days from symptoms have ended before visiting.
- Hand hygiene is the most important method of preventing and controlling the spread of infections and it is extremely important that all visitors wash their hands with liquid soap and water before and after visiting. Alcohol hand sanitiser can also be used.
- Do not bring perishable foods into the hospital.
Please respect our staff
For anyone attending any Western Trust hospital or facility, we ask that you please respect our staff and the guidance they give you at all times. The Trust operates a zero tolerance policy towards abuse across our Trust.
Visitors with mobile phones, cameras or camcorders should ensure they are turned off while in the hospital. Please respect the privacy of other patients.
Your support helps us to provide safer care for your relatives and friends who are currently in hospital.