Visiting banned again at Sandwell and Stafford hospitals
All visiting has been suspended at Sandwell General Hospital due to rising Covid-19 levels.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has become the latest trust in the region to ban visiting at its hospitals, meaning no members of the public are allowed to visit patients on wards at City Hospital, Rowley Regis Hospital and Sandwell General.
The rules came into force on Boxing Day but the trust has now clarified that partners can accompany woman attending maternity appointments so long as they test negative for Covid-19 on a lateral flow test.
Exceptions also exist for visiting the most vulnerable patients, patients nearing end of life, those with limited mental capacity and for parents or guardians supporting children.
Similar rules have also now been implemented at County Hospital in Stafford.
Mel Roberts, chief nurse at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: "Unfortunately we have had to make the decision to close to visiting.
"This is in the interest of both patients safety and my staff's safety.
"I know you will all be disappointed and I do apologies for this.
"But with the increasing number of cases across Sandwell and Birmingham this decision has been made for us.
"We will endeavour to re-instate visiting as soon as possible and will communicate then when we are able to.
Vulnerable patients attending emergency or outpatient departments are allowed to be accompanied by one person and where visiting is allowed it must be agreed with the ward and limited to one visitor who has tested negative for coronavirus.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs the major hospitals in Stafford and Stoke, is also now only allowing visiting in exceptional circumstances such as for end-of-life care
At both hospital trusts partners are only allowed to accompany mothers-to-be once they are in labour. In Staffordshire, partners are only allowed for antenatal scans "where absolutely necessary".
General visiting has been banned at New Cross, Cannock Chase and West Park hospitals since July, however not at the children’s, maternity and neonatal services.
Walsall Manor Hospital also introduced measures in July but paediatric/neonatal services were unaffected.
Visiting is allowed at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley but must be pre-booked and limited to two visitors per patient at once.
