Changes to visiting at Sheffield Hospitals as a precaution until more is known about Omicron variant

As a precautionary measure given the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the UK, we are changing visiting arrangements from today (3 December 2021) to be:

One person allowed to visit a patient for one hour each day. The visitor will need to make an appointment to visit by contacting the ward. This is so that we have a record of who has visited if there are any cases of COVID on the ward and we need to trace and inform people.

More details about visiting arrangements and things we are asking you to do can be found by clicking on the poster.

Where possible it is recommended that it is the same visitor for each visit and that the visitor is fully vaccinated because we know this has an impact on virus transmission and severity of illness.

Every visitor must have a negative lateral flow test before they visit and wear a mask at all times in our buildings. Visiting will be allowed between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week.

Visiting is not allowed on wards where there are COVID patients unless in exceptional circumstances. This would need to be approved by the ward in advance of any visit.

Carers do not count as a visitor and the number and length of time for visiting can be varied in exceptional circumstances such as at the end of life.

We are sorry we have had to tighten visiting arrangements once again but we feel that by taking these actions during this period of uncertainty it will help limit the spread of infection. We will continue to carefully monitor the national and local situation and review the visiting position once we know more about the transmission of Omicron and its impact on immunity.

For more information about the new visiting arrangements for wards at the Hallamshire, Weston Park Cancer Centre and Northern General please visit Visiting Times. For maternity arrangements at Jessop Wing please click here.
 


< back