Hospital Visits

My understanding of the COVID rules currently in place is that NHS hospitals only allow visits to patients when patients are at the end of their life or there is a clinical emergency. I fully understand the need to protect patients and staff from the Covid virus and to minimize the risk of the virus being imported into hospitals by visitors. But to deprive seriously ill patients of the support of their loved ones at a critical time in their lives seems to me to be an appalling price to pay. Have we got the balance right here? Resources must be applied to this situation, at the very least to allow one visit by one person of one half hour duration per day to seriously ill patients. Means must be put in place such as testing and/or PPE for visitors to facilitate such visits.

Why the contribution is important

To restore the crucial human right of people to support their family loved ones in need and to improve the recovery prospects for seriously ill patients in hospital by improving their morale and giving them hope.

by davidwright on May 06, 2020 at 12:58PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 3.1
Based on: 8 votes

Comments

  • Posted by whuang May 06, 2020 at 13:09

    I can not agree with this. Why people can not people show their loves through online chatting?

  • Posted by DevVeh May 06, 2020 at 13:11

    This is so difficult but I think at this stage allowing more people into hospitals where we are at our most vunerable is not a good idea.

    Perhaps if those at end of life care could be seperated from those who may pull through this could work

  • Posted by lmg1612 May 06, 2020 at 13:12

    Agree! Stv news were allowed in this week to Forth Valley and a journalist allowed to interview on the Covid ward. Very unfair to allow journalists in but no visitors

  • Posted by Shona1962 May 06, 2020 at 13:54

    If we are to live with social distancing as a 'new normal' for months until the population can be immunised against the virus, I think there should be some changes made to allow family or close friends to visit those in hospital, hospice or care homes. None of us know how vulnerable we are - we know that the virus can take the life of a 5 year old and spare the life of a 100 year old. Why then would we want to penalise the elderly or those at the end stage of their lives (whom we seem to blanket refer to as 'vulnerable'), simply because of age or disability.

    The principle of equality should apply and if being allowed to extend our 'bubble' to include some additional family members or close friends is to apply to the less vulnerable, then there should be some means by which it can apply to the 'vulnerable'. I think we need a balanced approach rather than the broad brush which is currently being applied.

  • Posted by Hughes May 06, 2020 at 14:01

    Not a good idea especially when we are at our most vunerable. I think people at end of life care, icu and cancer patients maybe be aloud 1 visitor or person for support.

  • Posted by Muriel May 06, 2020 at 14:38

    Foir the peace of mind of the patient and the close family they must be allowed to see each other priorto death. Mourning will never happen properly if this contact is denied. Allowing patients and familyto meet occasionally might alsolife a little of the burden from the shoulders of the carers

  • Posted by Villager1 May 06, 2020 at 15:17

    Absolutely not. Risk of infection and transmission is simply too high. In case of impending bereavement government should make some kind of suitable arrangement for close family visit under strict supervision but not for covid 19 patients.

  • Posted by AnnLang1 May 06, 2020 at 15:29

    I think if the patient is seriously ill they should be allowed one visitor only with protection if save to do so

  • Posted by Outragedoldbag May 06, 2020 at 20:16

    PPE must be reserved for staff. We owe them.
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