Hospital and care home visiting guidance updated

With mainland Scotland entering level four Covid-19 restrictions as of Boxing Day, NHS Highland has updated visiting guidance for its hospitals and care homes.

 

From December 26, visiting hospitals within level four areas will be for essential visits only, where it is imperative that a relative or friend is allowed to see their loved one in a number of exceptional circumstances.

 

Examples of essential visits include but are not limited to:

 

 

• A birth partner supporting a pregnant person during hospital visits;

 

• For a person receiving end-of-life care – this is to be defined as flexibly and compassionately as possible, to support patients at the end of life spending meaningful time with their loved ones in their final days and weeks;

 

• To support someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed;

 

• To accompany a child in hospital.

 

 

These include any other situation where clinical staff assess that it is essential to involve family or carers for ethical or patient safety reasons.

 

Some parts of the Western Isles, including Islay and Jura, were moved to level three restrictions. Visiting hospitals in these areas will also be essential only but clinicians at hospital level can agree to move to one designated visitor if it is safe and appropriate.

 

Visiting all care homes across the Scottish mainland, including those operated by independent sector care providers, will also change.

 

Indoor visiting will be limited to essential visits only. Outdoor visits, via gardens or windows, can still take place but only agreed in advance with the care home and should be limited to one visitor only.

 

Visits by children and young people are suspended at this time. Any outdoor visiting will also be subject to any restrictions in place with each individual care home.

 

Essential visits include circumstances where it is clear that the person’s health and wellbeing is changing for the worse; where visiting may help with communication difficulties; to ease significant personal stress or other pressing circumstances, including approaching end of life.

 

For island care homes in level three areas, the current visiting guidelines continue to apply with essential visits continuing. Indoor visits can have one designated person for up to four hours once a week, and garden visits can have a maximum of six people from no more than two different households 60 minutes once a week. This is dependent on the current status of the care home.

 

An NHS Highland spokesperson said: 'We would also ask, no matter what level we are in, that if you are unwell and/or exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 - a new, persistent cough and fever or high temperature - please do not visit any health or social care settings. Self-isolate at home and book a test.'