Christmas is just days away and we want to ensure our patients can still enjoy the festive period by seeing their loved ones, while also keeping everyone safe.

On Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, every patient across our hospitals will be able to have one named visitor per day. To ensure we can adhere to social distancing during the pandemic, this will be at a time agreed with the ward in advance.

To ensure the safety of our patients and staff, all visitors must take a lateral flow test, and have a negative result, before coming to our hospitals.

Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, said: “Being in hospital away from loved ones is never easy and at Christmas this can be even harder. The pandemic has also meant friends and relatives have not had the freedom to visit our hospitals as they would like.

“This is why we have thought carefully about how we can give our patients and their loved ones a happier Christmas, while also keeping everyone safe. I hope all our patients enjoy their visits over the festive period, and I know our staff will go out of their way to make Christmas special for them.”

Outside of the days listed above, normal visiting restrictions apply. The restrictions, in place to protect our patients and staff, suspend visiting except for in certain circumstances, such as accompanying young children; essential carers; visiting patients who have been in hospital longer than a week; and spending time with end of life care patients.

Further information about our visiting policy can be found on our visitor restrictions page.