If you are visiting someone at Mildmay

General information

• If a prospective visitor, or someone they share accommodation with, experiences Covid-19 symptoms, such as a new continuous cough, shortness of breath, changes in taste and sense of smell or a temperature of 37.8 or above–they must not visit the hospital. Any visitor who has tested positive for COVID-19 may not enter the hospital premises

• Visitors with queries may telephone the hospital Reception on 0207 613 6300 and request to speak to the nurses on extension 6300 / 6301 / 6302 / 6401 / 6304

• Visitors are expected to sanitise their hands using the alcohol gel provided in reception when arriving and leaving the premises. Alternatively, they may wash their hands in the visitor’s toilet on the ground floor

• The nursing staff and nursing management are responsible for managing the appointments. The nursing staff liaise closely with the Reception team regarding visitor appointments

Specific information relating to visitor access

Mildmay adapts its visiting restrictions in direct response to post-pandemic infection control guidelines.

The information below summarises high, medium and low levels of restriction. Mildmay’s Senior Management Team reserve the right to change the level of restriction at very short notice, if necessary (24 hours or less).

The information below applies to professional external visitors such as health professionals and contractors, as well as patient visitors such as family and friends.

Lower Level of Restriction

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• This is the least restrictive option for visitors

• Visits will be permitted on the wards between 2pm and 8pm Monday-Sunday. Visits should not take place during patient’s individualised therapy sessions, and they should not take place during protected mealtimes 12:30-13:30. Visitors must be aware that they may be asked to wait or return later if a patient is accessing a therapy session or another appointment. If a patient repeatedly chooses to spend time with their visitors instead of accessing their therapeutic sessions, this may impact their overall rehabilitation and may also lead to early discharge due to lack of engagement. The Multidisciplinary team will need to discuss this with the patient, and there may also be a need to discuss this with their visitor(s)

• Reception, Security and Nursing staff must inform visitors in advance that they will need to leave the premises by 8pm. Posters around the hospital and information on the website should also reinforce this message

• If a patient is receiving end-of-life care, visiting hours may be extended on an individual basis, and this needs to be arranged in advance at the nursing team’s discretion

• Visitors experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or testing positive for Covid-19 themselves may not enter the premises

• Visitors experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, sneezing, productive coughs and other symptoms indicative of an infection may not enter the building

• All visitors must sign the visitors book in Reception

• Patients testing positive for COVID-19, and any patients being nursed in isolation due to infection may not receive visitors under any circumstances

• Professional in-person visits are possible but must be arranged in advance with the relevant member of Mildmay’s team

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Medium Level of Restriction

• This is the intermediate level of restriction.

• No visits will be permitted on the wards; however, there may be some exceptional circumstances where limited visitation on the wards may be arranged, for example, if a patient is receiving end-of-life care or their mobility is severely restricted. This needs to be authorised and arranged in advance by the senior nursing team i.e. Clinical Lead Nurse or Nursing Team Leader  

• Visitors may meet with patients who have tested negative for COVID-19 in the designated visitors' room on the ground floor near reception.

• All visits need to be booked in advance with the nursing and reception teams, and only one visitor may attend at any one time.

• Visits may be scheduled from 2pm to 8pm Mon-Fri for a maximum of 1 hour per appointment.

• The available visiting time slots need to be shared between all inpatients. If any patient wishes to receive more than one visitor on the same day, more than one appointment will need to be booked, and this is subject to availability and the level of demand for appointments on that particular day

• All visitors must undertake a lateral flow test on arrival

• Visitors experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, sneezing, productive coughs and other symptoms indicative of an infection may not enter the building

• All visitors must wear a face mask at all times whilst on Mildmay’s premises

• Social distancing (1 metre) needs to be maintained at all times during all visits

• All visitors must sign in and undertake a temperature check on arrival in Reception

• There will be no smoking and no consuming of food and drink during visits

• Patients testing positive for Covid-19 may not receive visitors under any circumstances

• Professional in-person visits are possible but must be arranged in advance with the relevant member of Mildmay’s team

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High Level of Restriction 

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• This is the highest level of restriction to visitation

• This level of restriction is activated in response to significant local or national outbreaks of COVID-19, or other associated infections

• No visits will be permitted on the wards/clinical areas

• Visitors may meet with patients who have tested negative for infections, including COVID-19 in the designated visitors' room on the ground floor, near Reception.

• All visits need to be booked in advance with the nursing and reception teams and only one visitor may attend at any one time.

• Visits may be scheduled from 2pm to 8pm Mon-Fri for a maximum of 1 hour per appointment.

• The available visiting time slots need to be shared between all inpatients. If any patient wishes to receive more than one visitor on the same day, more than one appointment will need to be booked, and this is subject to availability and the level of demand for appointments on that particular day

• All visitors must undertake a lateral flow test on arrival

• All visitors must wear a face mask at all times whilst on Mildmay’s premises

• Social distancing (1 metre) needs to be maintained at all times during all visits

• All visitors must sign in and undertake a temperature check on arrival at reception

• There will be no smoking and no consuming of food and drink during visits

• Video calls via Whatsapp, Zoom and other mediums are encouraged, and ward staff will assist with facilitating this

• Patients testing positive for Covid-19 may not receive external visitors under any circumstances

• Visitors experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, sneezing, productive coughs and other symptoms indicative of an infection may not enter the building

• Professional visitors such as Health and Social Care professionals and others such as police or solicitors will also be required to telephone the unit in advance (with the exception of emergencies). Professional visits need to be pre-booked with the relevant professionals within the team. Professionals wishing to visit the patient are asked if they are able to utilise other methods of communication, for example video calls or telephone calls