NHS Dumfries and Galloway has taken the decision to suspend all visiting times for inpatient wards in all hospitals across the region to limit the spread of coronavirus and to protect vulnerable patients. This comes into effect from today, Thursday March 19.
We know that patients and families may have concerns but we hope everyone understands that we have taken this difficult decision to help protect our patients and staff as it will further reduce the number of people coming into our hospitals each day.
Visiting will continue in specific circumstances; for example, patients receiving end-of-life care or those accompanying partners during childbirth. This would be agreed following discussions with the senior charge nurse/midwife responsible for the clinical area.
If anyone has any further questions about visiting arrangements please speak to the nurse in charge of the ward.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway Medical Director Dr Kenneth Donaldson said: “We understand that suspending visiting will impact on families and patients and we know that not being able to visit family members whilst they are in hospital may be upsetting. We hope that they will understand that we have made this very difficult decision in the best interests of our patients.
“We would like to remind everyone coming into hospital to follow NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s hand hygiene and hand washing advice and we asking everyone not to visit our hospitals if they have any flu-like symptoms, a cough, a fever or a cold – or if they generally feel unwell.”
