Royal Surrey Restricts Visiting Due To Coronavirus

Published on: 16 Mar, 2020
Updated on: 19 Mar, 2020

The Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) Trust announced this evening (Monday, March 16) that it is restricting visitors in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The restrictions include not allowing children to visit.

The press release said that the measures were being introduced to “protect patients and staff and reduce the risk to the general public” at the hospital in Guildford.

Jacqui Tingle, director of infection prevention and control at the hospital’s Trust, said: “We are restricting the number of visitors in light of the risks faced by the coronavirus outbreak.

“If a member of your family is staying on our wards, we ask that you identify one designated person only to visit consistently on behalf of the family.

“They should also be the sole point of contact with the ward and act as a messenger updating friends and family. By using this ‘family tree’ approach you minimise the disruption to clinical and nursing staff who can spend more time caring for patients.”

The Trust has said that other guidance for maternity care and parents of children will be in place but children should not be brought to the hospital to visit. Staff will work with relatives in exceptional circumstances such as end-of-life care.

It is encouraging patients and the public to make use of its free hospital wi-fi to keep in touch via talk or video calls.

Mrs Tingle emphasised the health message by adding: “The public has a crucial role to play in containing the spread of the virus by washing your hands more often and for at least 20 seconds. Use soap and water or a hand sanitiser when you get home of into work, blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food. Remember, catch it. Bin it. Kill it.”

Based on a press release from the RSCH.

Responses to Royal Surrey Restricts Visiting Due To Coronavirus

Martin Elliott Reply

March 16, 2020 at 10:48 pm

It’s a pity we can’t get messages like this out from the GP surgeries serving Guildford.

All now have internet sites supplied by the NHS. So yes there are messages about using ‘111’ for COVID-19 symptoms.

However suddenly other services like repeat prescriptions and doctor’s appointments have disappeared, but with no explanation.

Yes, its probably COVID-19 related, but having no explanation has started speculation on social media such as Facebook Community Groups. Some have even reported phones not being answered, so what do you do.

One of the first rules in Emergency Response is the provision of as much accurate information as possible. Taking services down would only be done for a clear reason, and that should be issued at the same time to prevent random speculation.