In keeping with NHS England recommendations in outpatients, diagnostic settings and the emergency department, patients may be accompanied by one close family contact, or somebody important to the patient, to support the patient with complex/difficult decision making. Attending Outpatient hospital appointments Members of the public are not allowed to take belongings to the wards.

If you are dropping of belongings for someone in hospital please leave these with the volunteers at the West Cumberland Hospital or the Cumberland infirmary or with the reception of the community hosptials. Please also consider other ways of keeping in touch with your family and friends, such as phone calls and video calls on tablets.Īll patients in our hospitals have access to our free wifi so they can keep in touch with family and friends. parents or legal guardians are able to visit in the children’s unit.birthing partners are able to visit maternity units.Visiting guidance to maternity and paediatrics has not changed. This advice covers visiting to all our adult inpatient units at the Cumberland Infirmary, West Cumberland Hospital and all of our community hospitals. Check guidance below for information on facemask wearing On your way in, please use the hand sanitisers found at every entrance.

Lateral flow tests will no longer be required for visitors.As with arrangements prior to the pandemic, children under 5 are discouraged from attending where possible.Asking visitors not to attend if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or feeling unwell.Suspending visiting in outbreak areas (wards in outbreak will be noted on our main location pages CIC / WCH / other locations).Infection prevention measures in place will include: This will be managed on each ward and patients will be encouraged to share their timeslot with family members where they are able. In our multi bed bays, to prevent overcrowding, each bed will be allocated a dedicated timeslot for their visitors. We will also suspend visiting in any areas that have an outbreak. In order to ensure the safety of our staff, patients and visitors, there will still be infection prevention measures in place.You are asked to sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the hospitals and the wards, some visitors will be asked to wear facemasks - please see below for guidance.

On a Foreign Field by Hazel B. West