NEW guidance that will facilitate increased visiting in health and social care settings in the North will come into effect from this Friday (May 7).

The updated guidance for visiting will apply across all care settings including hospitals (including Maternity), hospices and care homes.  

The ‘Cautious first steps’ approach will run for four weeks before the next phase can be introduced.

From Friday, the following regulations will apply:

Care Homes

·      Increased number of visits per week to two — to be reviewed two weeks post implementation with a view to increasing to three. 

·      Visits limited to two people at one time and lasting up to one hour. Visits to be accessible over a seven-day period as well as after 5pm.

Children can visit and the responsibility will rest with the adult. Any child visiting will be included in total number of visitors for the arranged visit.

·      Handwashing to replace use of gloves to enable handholding. Aprons and masks to remain.

·      Booking system for all visitors including evenings and weekends

·      Visiting in residents own room with window open

·      Visitors and residents may meet within the grounds of the home with access to gardens.

·      Residents may resume trips out of the home following the restrictions applicable to the general public

·      There will be no requirement to isolate on return to the home.

·      Church Ministers and Faith Groups may book a visit

·      Hairdressers may attend as per Executive easing.

·      Visiting professionals to resume if not already.

Hospices

·      One daily visit from two nominated individuals can be permitted at the same time. 

·      Any child admitted can be accompanied by both parents, or two nominated caregivers at all times.

·      It may be necessary to continue to restrict visiting times to certain periods within the day, so the timing and duration of visits should always be agreed with person in charge.

·      If the two nominated individuals are not from the same household and social distancing cannot be maintained, such visits can take place separately

·      Outdoor visiting, virtual visits, should continue to be made available.

Maternity Units

·      A chosen birth partner will be facilitated to accompany the pregnant woman to any pregnancy related appointments and ultrasound scans.

·      A chosen birth partner will be facilitated to accompany the pregnant woman for induction of labour, duration of labour and birth and, for up to three hours after the birth.

·      Maternity Inpatient Services — One daily visit from one of two nominated individuals (from up to two households) can be permitted, where this can be accommodated.

·      Duration of visits should be agreed with person in charge

·      Outdoor visiting, virtual visits, should continue to be made available.

Hospital wards (including ICU)

·      One daily visit from one of two nominated individuals (from up to two households).

·      Duration of visits should be agreed with person in charge.

·      Outdoor visiting, virtual visits, should continue to be made available.

·      Emergency Department/X-Ray Units/Outpatient departments/Day Procedure Units — One person only to be facilitated to accompany each patient.

·      Paediatric hospital/Neonatal — Any child admitted can be accompanied by two persons (either/both parents or two nominated caregivers from up to two households) at all times for the duration of the stay.

·      Mental Health Wards/Learning Disability Wards — One daily visit from one of two nominated individuals (from up to two households) can be permitted, where this can be accommodated.

End of life

·      An individualised risk assessment should be undertaken with regards to accommodating visiting for a patient who is approaching the end of their life.

·      A patient may have indicated who they would like to have visit them as they approach end of life. If this has not been recorded, patients approaching end of life should be asked where possible who they would like to visit them.

·      All requirements in terms of the setting’s visiting policy, which includes applicable infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, use of PPE etc. must be adhered to. 

·      Infection prevention and control requirements in these circumstances should not be so rigid as to prevent family members/loved ones from saying goodbye in as humanely a way as possible — this includes the ability for them to hold hands and touch the dying person.

·      Where patients have been clinically assessed as actively dying, (considered to be the last 72 hours of life) visits should be facilitated over the full 24-hour period wherever possible.

·      Where young children need to visit the patient (either parent/grandparent/sibling), this will be agreed locally with the person in charge and consideration given to any additional protective measures.

·      Where there is particular benefit from the Minister of Faith/chaplain being present, this should be accommodated whenever possible, as an extra to the maximum of “two visitors”.

Health Minister  Robin Swann said: “I fully recognise the importance of visiting for those who are receiving care. I hope this guidance will be widely welcomed.

“It is also important to remember that the threat from COVID-19 remains very real. Everyone has a vital role to play when it comes to safe visiting. That includes social distancing, hand hygiene and not visiting if you are feeling unwell yourself.

 “Visiting was only ever restricted because it was absolutely necessary to do so to protect patients and residents from the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent development of COVID-19 infection. Given the progress that has been made against the virus, the time is now right to take steps to carefully re-introduce visiting.

 “I welcome the work completed to draw up these updated guidance documents and hope that by implementing them we will take another step along the road to recovery.”

To view the full guidance documents, visit the Department of Health website.