New visiting regulations for hospitals in Burnley, Pendle and Clitheroe

From 6am today (Wednesday) East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is asking

the public to limit visiting and to consider other ways of keeping in touch, like phone calls, FaceTime and Skype.

To minimise risk, the Trust is asking that visitors to their hospital sites (Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, Burnley General Teaching Hospital, and Accrington, Pendle and Clitheroe Community Hospitals) must be immediate family members or carers.

They are also asking that the public not visit any health and care settings, and this applies to all inpatient, diagnostic, outpatient and emergency care areas, if they are:

• unwell, especially if they have a high temperature or a new, persistent cough

• vulnerable as a result of their medication, a chronic illness or they are over 70 years

of age.

Following guidance from NHS England, visitors should be limited to one per patient unless:

• the patient is receiving end-of-life care

• the visitor needs to be accompanied – accompanying visitors should not stay in

patient, ward or communal areas, and this applies to inpatient and outpatient settings

• they are a partner and birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour.

The Trust has asked that no children under 12 visits without prior permission from the ward

sister or charge nurse.

Due to these unprecedented times, and to minimise the risk to patients and staff, and

following guidance from NHS England, visiting is restricted to one hour per day from

2-30pm to 3-30pm in hospitals and other health and care settings.