Visits to hospital restricted further

NHS Shetland says it is restricting visiting arrangements at the Gilbert Bain Hospital in light of updated advice around reducing the risk of spreading Covid-19 and shielding vulnerable groups.

The move is seen as a way of protecting some of the most vulnerable people within the hospital.

The health board says the following visits are deemed essential:

• A birth partner during childbirth
• A person receiving end-of-life care
• To support someone with a mental health issue, dementia, a learning disability or autism where having a carer not present would cause the patient to be distressed
• To accompany a child to hospital

Director of nursing Kathleen Carolan said:  “Unless it is essential that you visit a relative in hospital we would ask that you do not visit the ward and instead phone or video chat.

“There will be exceptional circumstances where a visitor will be allowed to see their relative in hospital but, if you have any queries, then please contact the nurse in charge of the ward before you decide to come in. We will relax these measures again when it is safe to do so.”

All visitors are being asked to wash their hands before and after a visit.

The following general restriction applies for all visitors:

• Do not visit anyone in hospital if you have a fever/respiratory/cough or cold symptoms
• All visitors must hand sanitise when entering and leaving clinical areas

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