Skip to content

Visiting

Update to Inpatient Visiting Arrangements and Outpatient Appointments

Please find below the information relevant to visiting arrangements and outpatient appointments at both Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

Please note that due to changes in Government testing for COVID-19 and mask wearing policies for Trusts across the Lancashire and South Cumbria system, mask wearing for patients and visitors is no longer required across the Trust, except in specific areas where patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 (or other respiratory viruses) are being treated.

However, there may be occasions where you feel more comfortable wearing masks and should feel free to do so.

Active surveillance remains in place for COVID-19 and should circumstances change, in terms of outbreaks and new variants, this decision will be reviewed.

Adult inpatient visiting

Patients will be allowed a maximum of two visitors at a time between the hours of 2pm - 7pm daily.

In order to gain access to the ward, all visitors must not be Covid-19 positive, must not have Covid-19 symptoms or generally feel unwell. A full list of Coronavirus symptoms for adults and children are available on the NHS website here.

Please note that some specific criteria still applies for patients receiving visitors in the areas identified below:

Patients with additional support needs

Extended visiting will be available to those providing carers support to patients with additional needs. This includes but is not exhaustive to patients with a cognitive impairment, learning disability, autism, visual or auditory impairment or language barriers and clinical judgement should be exercised. Other needs may be allowed but please discuss with the clinical team.

End of Life Care

Where possible, the ward area will make every effort to accommodate further visiting to support those receiving end of life care. Please contact the ward area directly to make additional arrangements.

Emergency Department

Whilst the Emergency Department is not an inpatient area, patients may be accompanied by somebody important to them.

You should not accompany a patient if you are Covid-19 positive, have Covid-19 symptoms or generally feel unwell.

Visitors are required to comply with safety measures as identified by the clinical staff responsible for the patient’s care if high risk or immunocompromised.

Children’s Assessment Unit, Children's Day Case and Children’s Ward

When children are being assessed on the Children’s Assessment Unit or attending the Children’s Day Case Unit, two people can be present with their child.

Once the child is admitted onto the main ward two people can be present with their child during the day and one parent/guardian can stay overnight.

Parents/ guardians are asked to remain by the child’s bedside as much as possible and undertake infection control procedures as identified by clinical staff.

Maternity Unit

Two birthing partners can be in attendance for labour and birth on Delivery Suite / Birth Centre at all times.

One named partner can provide support at all times. A second visitor may attend the maternity unit between 2pm and 7pm and the woman's own other children are permitted to visit at this time.

One support partner can attend all hospital outpatient appointments and all scans.

Neonatal Unit

Both parents can be present with their child.

Parents/ guardians are asked to remain by their baby’s cot side as much as possible and may be asked to undertake infection control procedures as identified by clinical staff.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

During their baby’s admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit both parents can be present with their baby. Where possible, the unit will make every effort to also involve extended family if this can be safely achieved.

Parents / guardians are asked to remain by their baby’s cot side as much as possible and may be asked to undertake infection control procedures as identified by clinical staff.

Virtual Visiting

Virtual visiting will be continued to be supported by our Wards for patients whose visitors are unable to attend our hospitals. This includes options such as telephone calls, facetime or other alternative formats.

Outpatient appointments

Patients may be accompanied to their outpatient appointments in line with visiting guidance.

Outpatients, and those accompanying them are required to comply with safety measures as identified by clinical staff.

Accompanying family members/relatives/loved ones must NOT attend the hospital if they meet any of the visitor exclusion criteria including being Covid-19 positive, having Covid-19 symptoms or generally feeling unwell.

Parking arrangements

It is important to note that our hospitals are currently very busy and visitor parking is limited. Visitor parking at both Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital can be located on our site maps available here.

General car parking information can be found here.

Other information

Our staff are authorised to deny access to visitors who refuse to comply with infection control requirements including mask-wearing in areas where deemed necessary. Where visitors provide evidence of medical exemption from mask-wearing, access will be granted at the discretion of staff on duty.

We review these arrangements on a regular basis and in the context of the environment we are providing care in.

Thank you for your continued support.

Get in touch

Chorley and South Ribble Hospital

Preston Road

Chorley

PR7 1PP

01257 261222

Royal Preston Hospital

Sharoe Green Lane

Fulwood

Preston

PR2 9HT

01772 716565

LTHTR logo logo image
GIRFT Hub Accreditation Badge and RCS logo image
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity logo image
Baby Beat Appeal logo image
Rosemere Cancer Foundation logo image
Veteran Aware logo image
Accessable logo image
Sunflower Lanyard Scheme logo image
NHS Choices logo image
Website Feedback