Visiting rules Sheffield hospitals: what you can do now Covid restrictions are relaxed at city hospitals

Covid visiting restrictions have now been relaxed at Sheffield hospitals including Northern General and Hallamshire.

There are still restrictions in place, meaning patients are limited to a maximum of two visitors – excluding carers – and those on Covid wards, who are having an operation, or who have had surgery are not allowed visitors at all.

This is to keep the potential exposure to Covid-19 as low as possible to prevent spread of the virus, including its spread onto wards which would then prevent patients from having their operation. Patients will be informed if the ward they are on allows visiting.

Critical care visiting and visiting someone whilst in A&E will be determined on an individual patient basis due to the space limitations to enable social distancing and potential spread of the virus. Staff in those departments will be able to advise patients and relatives if they are able to visit.

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Elsewhere the two hour visiting time restriction is lifted and patients can have more than one visit per day.

Visitors must wash their hands on entry and exit, and must wear a mask at all times. It is also strongly recommended that only double vaccinated people should visit and that for those eligible ideally they would also have had their booster. They will be asked not to stray from the bedspace of the person they are visiting unless absolutely necessary.

Anybody attending then hospital should also should take a Lateral Flow Test prior to their visit and have a negative result. If visiting on more than a single occasion, the visitor should undertake twice weekly Lateral Flow Tests.

Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Following careful consideration the decision has been taken to further adjust visiting restrictions for some patients. We are aware that we still have relatively high rates of infection in the community but also feel this has to be balanced with the importance of visiting for patients’ wellbeing.

"Unlike previously, the majority of people are double vaccinated which we know reduces the risk of transmission too. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and if necessary review visiting arrangements accordingly."

Visitors with symptoms of Covid or respiratory illness or diarrhoea and vomiting are not permitted to visit. Children under the age of 16 are also not allowed to visit unless in exceptional circumstances.