Hospital Visiting Level One - 17 May 2021

With Orkney’s move to level one today (17 May), the restrictions on visiting patients at The Balfour will be eased.

In level one, a patient may receive visits from two people, however, this must continue to be done in a careful way to prevent the spread of Covid.

According to the guidance from the Scottish Government, patients will be asked to name two people who will support them in hospital during their stay.

“These individuals are not fixed and can be changed if a patient needs to see another person other than those originally identified as described above,” the guidance stipulates.

The hospital management and doctors and nurses still need to manage the safe operation of the facility. This means that:

• Two people from the same household may visit at the same time;
• If those providing support are from different households then they may need to visit at separate times if physical distancing cannot be maintained in the clinical area.;
• Current requirements around wearing face coverings, provision of contact details hand washing or the use of alcohol-based hand rub, will remain in place;
• Physical distancing must still be maintained and face coverings worn.

NHS Orkney’s Director of Nursing, Midwifery, and AHP's, David McArthur, said it would be a “huge relief” for patients to see their families while in hospital.

“There are enormous psychological and emotional benefits for people to receive visitors in hospital and denying our patients this during the pandemic has been very difficult. We ask that people enjoy this relaxing of the rules responsibly and bear in mind that we are not out of the woods with this pandemic yet.”