VISITING

The Trust is aware of new visiting legislation which came into effect on 6th April 2024 and is committed to ensuring that people staying at our hospital, or within our settings, can receive visits from people they wish to see and those attending appointments in a hospital, that do not require an overnight stay, are accompanied by a family member, friend, or advocate if they want someone with them.

We endeavour to ensure the needs of our patients and their loved ones are met at all times and fully recognise the importance of having a flexible approach to visiting. If you have any queries regarding your visiting rights, please speak to a member of staff.

Visiting hours for all inpatients areas are between 2pm to 8pm, seven days a week at University Hospital, Coventry and the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby.

A maximum number of two people can visit for up to one hour at a time to provide flexibility for visitors and enhance the experience for patients.

Visitors are encouraged to visit during meal times to support our staff with helping patients eat and drink during these periods. Fresh flowers are not allowed on wards.

We also recommend that families of patients nominate one key named contact (typically the next of kin) to our ward staff to ensure that all patient updates can be made easily.

Please note some of our patient areas have different visiting times/requirements and exceptions may apply due to the vulnerable nature of individuals in these areas. See ‘Different Visiting Hours’ below for further information.

All visiting arrangements remain under constant review to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

Outside of visiting hours, friends and relatives can contact patients through personal communication devices and call the ward directly if they need information.

If you are unable to visit, please speak to the ward staff who can arrange to pass on a message. All ward contact details can be found here. You can also take advantage of our Thinking of You service to keep in touch.

Visitors may be able to visit outside of visiting times. This must be agreed with Ward/department staff in advance.

Examples of where special circumstances may apply:

Patients aged 16-18 who, due to their clinical condition or personal choice, are housed on an adult ward
Deteriorating and end of life patients
Patients with dementia, a learning disability or autism who may need familiar carers to assist with care delivery, reduce their anxiety and to aid their wellbeing and recovery
Visits from carers who usually provide care at patient’s home
Helping patients with eating and drinking at mealtimes
Spiritual/religious support from external chaplaincy teams
In exceptional circumstances, and with the appropriate support, permission may be given for children to visit. Speak to ward/department nursing staff to discuss this.
Visitors who travel a long distance

Do not visit with a patient if you have:

symptoms of a cold, such as a coughing, sneezing, sore throat, or a runny nose
a fever
a headache
diarrhoea or have been sick (vomiting)
a rash
Covid-19

For car parking details, click here for University Hospital and click here for Hospital of St Cross

Different visiting hours

Cardiothoracic Critical Care

Visiting hours are 11am to midday, then 2pm to 7pm each day.

General Critical Care

Visiting hours are 11am to 1pm, then 3pm to 7pm each day.

Haematology (Ward 34)

Visiting hours are 2pm to 4pm each day.
Only two visitors can be in the side room at the same time.
Only one visitor at a time can be in the patient bay.
Phone ward to visit outside of visiting hours: 02476 965 387

Maternity (Wards 24 and 25)

Birth partners can visit Wards 24 and 25 at any time, day or night.
Other visitors can visit 7pm to 8pm.
Two birth partners can join the mother in labour.
Children may visit (such as siblings). But they must be with an adult.
Only two visitors are allowed at the same time.

Neonatal Unit

Parents can visit any time, day or night.
Siblings and grandparents are allowed to visit between 8am and 8pm. But they must be with the patient’s parent.
Only two visitors are allowed at the cot side at the same time.

Oncology (Ward 35)

Visiting hours are 2pm to 4pm then 6pm to 8pm, each day.

Paediatrics

One parent, carer, or guardian can stay with a child during their hospital stay. This includes overnight.
Visiting hours for a secondparent, carer or guardian are 8am to 8pm each day.
Only two adults can visit a child at the same time.
Visitors can only bring children, such as siblings, when this is agreed with staff before your visit.

Arden Centre, Coventry, and Maple Unit, Rugby

Visitors are not permitted inside the chemotherapy suite. One visitor can accompany the patient for pre-assessment clinic appointments.

One visitor can attend for radiotherapy planning appointments, radiotherapy treatment reviews and on the first day of radiotherapy treatment for confirmation of consent.

Please note, there is not a radiotherapy department in the Maple Unit. One visitor can also attend all outpatient clinic appointments at the centre.

Visiting with a patient for an appointment or urgent care

Visiting information on this page is for:

clinic appointments (outpatients)
Emergency Department (A&E)
Children’s Emergency Department
Coventry Urgent Treatment Centre

Patients visiting us for appointments or urgent care can have someone with them. We know this is important.

Clinic appointments (outpatients)

Please read your appointment letter. It will include information to help you prepare for your appointment. It may include information about who can come with you.

Please contact the phone number on your appointment letter if you have any questions. We can make changes to support your needs.

Emergency Department

One visitor can wait with a patient in the Emergency Department.

Sometimes we need to limit visitors waiting with patients. This may happen during very busy times when we need space for patients.

When this happens, we let visitors know when they arrive.

Children’s Emergency Department

Sometimes we need to limit how many visitors can wait with a patient. This may happen during very busy times when we need space for patients.

When this happens, we let visitors know when they arrive.

Coventry Urgent Treatment Centre

Visitors can wait with patients in our urgent treatment centre.

Cleanliness

Our hospitals have low rates of healthcare-associated infections like C. diff or MRSA. However, there are a number of things you can help us do to prevent infections in our hospitals.

Please do:

Arrange for a relative or friend to take any personal clothing home to wash. The hospital does not provide a patient laundry service.
Use the alcohol hand rub provided on the wards. Please could you kindly do this when entering and leaving a patient's room to prevent illness and infections.
Remember that it’s OK to ask staff if they have cleaned their hands. Staff giving patient care should also have bare arms below their elbows and should have removed watches and stoned rings.

Please don’t:

Use the patient toilets on the wards. If you need the bathroom, our ward staff will direct you to the nearest public toilets.
Touch the patient’s wounds or any medical equipment they are attached to, such as drips and catheters. This can cause infections.
Visit if you have recently suffered with an illness such as cold, vomiting, diarrhoea or any other infectious condition in the last 48 hours.
Sit or lie on the beds. Please use the chairs provided.
Smoke on hospital grounds as it is not permitted anywhere on our hospital sites to protect our patients, visitors, staff and buildings from the damages and consequences of smoking.
Drop litter. We kindly ask you to put all litter in the bins provided to keep our hospital clean.

Privacy

Please do:

Respect the privacy and dignity of patients at all times; it is an essential aspect of care. This includes making sure that any noise (e.g. loud conversations, videos on smartphones, tablets, etc.) is not disturbing other patients.
Turn your mobile phone to silent to keep noise to a minimum on our wards.

Please don’t:

Take photographs when in the hospital. We have a duty to protect the privacy, confidentiality and dignity of all of our patients.
We appreciate that hospitals can be stressful places for patients and visitors. However, any deliberate acts of verbal or physical aggression towards our staff will not be tolerated. Our members of staff work directly for the benefit of the public and it is not acceptable for them to be the subject of violence or abuse while caring for patients. We reserve the right to call security in the event of any incidents. Visitors may be escorted from the premises and banned from further visits.
Consume alcohol or use illegal drugs. patients, visitors or staff are not permitted to do either on our hospital sites.

Food

Patients who are able to eat are provided with three main meals a day, with snacks and drinks available between meals.

Please do:

Tell us about any allergies or special diets as soon as possible.
Assist your relative or friend to eat their meals if they need help.
You may bring items of food like fruit and snacks for a loved one. However, please speak to the nurse in charge before giving a patient food brought from outside the hospital.