National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street to allow ‘unrestricted’ visits to support partners

The National Maternity is set to allow 'unrestricted' visits to support partners.

The Holles Street Hospital stated that a partner or support person can now join a pregnant person at most of their hospital appointments. The new guidelines will give partners unrestricted visitation at inpatient appointments between 8 am to 9 pm For women in labour, visiting is unrestricted once the pregnant woman has been admitted to a bed. Visiting is also unrestricted to partners or a support person at the Early Pregnancy Assessment Uni, the Anomaly scan and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. If a patient needs to attend the Emergency Department, their partner/support person is allowed to join the pregnant person at their consultation with the ED clinical team. Partners/support people can visit your baby every day. In order to comply with social distancing, the partner/support person must remain at the bedside. They could be asked to leave or wait before entering the ward if the unit is particularly busy at that time. The hospital said partners/support persons cannot attend the antenatal outpatients department due to Government guidelines on social distancing. However, these guidelines may be altered on compassionate grounds and on an individual basis. Partners/ your support person must wear a face covering at all times while within the hospital. They will be given an NMH official visitor card when they arrive at the hospital. The partner/support person is asked to maintain good hygiene standards such as washing their hands and coughing etiquette at all times. Handwashing facilities are available on the ground floor as you enter the hospital. A record of the partner/support person’s time of arrival and departure each day must be kept by the patient for contract tracing purposes. Children and other visitors are not permitted at this time. The hospital stressed that restrictions are in place to protect patients, babies and hospital staff. Guidleines are reviewed on a weekly basis.