The Trust recognises, and values, the contribution that visiting provides to patient wellbeing and recovery, as well as the reassurance it offers to loved ones.
However, due to the rapidly increasing COVID-19 infection rate in the community and Bedfordshire Hospitals, the Trust has suspended standard visiting to all adult inpatient wards with immediate effect.
This decision has not been made lightly but is to keep staff, patients and their loved ones as safe as possible.
The Trust will continue to review this change and hopes to ease these restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.
Please assign one person to call the ward for a daily update on a relative/loved one. Contact numbers are available here, but the Trust kindly asks you to only call once a day and please be patient – the staff will do their very best to help you.
Update to exceptional visiting
However, in exceptional circumstances, as listed below, visiting can take place. Please discuss with the ward manager.
- If the patient is receiving end of life care or
- If the patient has dementia, learning disabilities or a mental health illness and need a carer/support present
For exceptional visiting, you will be asked to produce a negative lateral flow test (LFT) on a daily basis.
These tests are for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
You can order a test online here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests