NHS Forth Valley – Visiting Hospital

Current Arrangements

There are still some restrictions on visiting to help keep staff and patients safe.

Forth Valley Royal Hospital (all inpatient wards apart from mental health wards, ITU and Acute Assessment Unit) patients can have a daily visit from up to two visitors (who don’t have to be from the same household) at a time agreed with the ward in advance.
Community Hospitals, Bellsdyke Hospital, Forth Valley Royal Hospital mental health wards (1 – 5) and the Bungalows – to help maintain a restful environment for all patients, we ask that no more than two people visit at any one time. If there are times when more than two people might need to attend please discuss this with a member of staff in advance.

Separate visiting arrangements are in place for maternity, children’s and neonatal services in the Women and Children’s Unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital which are outlined below.

Women & Children’s Unit

Antenatal appointments – one supportive person may accompany to all appointments.
Maternity scans –one supportive person may accompany to all appointments.
Labour and birth – you can have two named birth partners that can swap with each other throughout induction, labour and birth (except during a general anaesthetic).
Maternity ward visiting (Ward 8) – two visitors may visit you on Ward 8 between 11am – 8pm.
Neonatal visiting – both parents/primary care givers will have maximum access to their baby together within the Neonatal Unit and other visitors but strictly 2 visitors per cot space.
Children’s ward – patients can have visits from both parents/care givers within the Children’s Ward and other visitors but strictly two visitors per bed space.
Paediatric Day Care Unit (PDU) – Both parents/primary care givers can accompany child within PDU.
Gynaecology Ward visiting (Ward 6) – two visitors may visit you on Ward 6 between 11am-8pm.

You should not visit if you:

Are feeling unwell
Have a new or continuous cough
Have had sickness or diarrhoea within the last 48 hrs
Have had a temperature or fever
Have experienced any change to your normal sense of taste or smell
Are self isolating because you have been in contact with someone with suspected or confirmed Covid-19
Plan to use retail facilities, cafes or toilets as these are only for the use of staff, patients and visitors

Visitors should:

Wear a surgical face mask – these are available at hospital entrances
Maintain physical distancing in wards and communal areas
Use hand sanitiser before you enter the hospital and before and after you enter a ward or department or touch anything
Wear PPE, if required or asked to do so by a member of staff and follow any other guidance in place
Take the stairs, if possible, to avoid overcrowding in lifts which are restricted to a maximum of two people

Shops, Toilets & Food Outlets

The restaurant at Forth Valley Royal Hospital is not currently open to the public.

Appointments

Please attend appointments on your own to help maintain physical distancing and avoid waiting areas becoming overcrowded. If you have been driven to a hospital please ask friends or family members to drop you off and return to pick you up later or wait for you in the hospital car park. This is particularly important in the Emergency Department, Outpatient Department, X-ray Department and Minor Injuries Unit as these areas can be very busy.

However, in certain circumstances one person can attend with a patient – this includes:

when a person may have difficulty understanding what treatment or course of action a clinician is discussing
where a person has dementia, a learning disability or autism
where a person is receiving bad news or information that is potentially life-changing
where a person is receiving a cancer diagnosis or discussing cancer treatment options
accompanying a pregnant woman to an appointment or scan (this would be a birth partner in most instances)
where a person is distressed or stressed

Preparing for an operation

Patients must strictly follow the national public health guidance on physical distancing, wearing face coverings and, in particular, reduce their social contacts/interactions for 10 days before surgery and self-isolate for 3 days before their operation.

If you receive an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine for during this 10-day period you should call the local Covid-19 vaccination helpline on 0800 130 3120 to reschedule your appointment. Ideally your vaccine should be given more than ten days before your surgery or one week after.

For further information and advice see the Pre-surgery Advice and Guidance.

NHS Forth Valley operates a no smoking policy on all hospital grounds.