People in hospital who do not have coronavirus will be able to have a designated visitor from tomorrow.
Until now, hospital visits during the pandemic have only been permitted in limited essential circumstances.
In the first phase of this three part plan, hospital visitors will need to adhere to strict public health guidance to ensure patient, staff and visitor safety, and to protect progress made in suppressing the spread of COVID-19.
All hospital visitors must:
- arrange a time to visit in advance with ward staff
- not visit any other patient in the hospital
- adhere to strict hand hygiene and face covering guidance
- maintain strict physical distancing in communal areas of hospital
- not visit anyone in hospital if they have symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
Specific visiting arrangements may vary between health boards depending on the type of care patients are receiving, and the space available in different care settings to maintain physical distancing
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said “Restricting access to people in hospital has been necessary to keep patients and staff as safe as possible and it has helped us protect the capacity and resilience of NHS Scotland.
“The safety of patients, staff and visitors will continue to be our priority.
“I want to reassure you that we are taking these precautions so that we can safely offer the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”
