As an organisation, we know that it is important for our patients, families and carers to feel they are fully supported whilst under our care.
Today (Friday, 1 August) MFT has launched our new visitors’ policy, with extended visiting times across many of our services.
Developed in collaboration with Healthwatch England, alongside patient and carer groups, the new policy outlines when visitors can visit the ward areas, what is expected of them and the support that our colleagues can offer you.
For adult inpatients and community units, visiting hours have been extended from 10:30am to 7.30pm. Most wards can accommodate two visitors at a time, however children will need to have the agreement of the nurse in charge before visiting. There are no restrictions for people visiting patients at the end of life or where assistance is needed for communication purposes such as learning disabilities, dementia and mental health.
Our hospitals and services operate using protected mealtimes to minimise unnecessary interruptions for patients. For those attending over lunch and dinner time, we would encourage visitors and carers to support the patient to eat or drink, if required. Please check with your ward for the specific meal timings, as these differ across our services.
There are different visiting arrangements in place for our paediatrics, maternity, neonatal and Adult Critical Care services. Any visits must be approved by the ward or unit before taking place. For more information, including how to follow our infection control guidelines, go to our Visitor’s Policy page.
Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, Chief Nursing Officer, said: “At MFT, we recognise the important role that the support from loved ones plays in the care of our patients and we want to put people at the heart of everything we do. Extending our visiting hours gives more flexibility to those crucial support networks so we can deliver more personalised care and improve the wellbeing of patients.
“The new policy outlines what is expected of both our visitors and our people, and we advise that everyone reads the guidance on our website. Together we can improve the experience and care of our service users, their families and carers.”