Visiting Information
Updated 19 July 2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19):
We are pleased to be able to welcome back limited numbers of visitors to the RUH as coronavirus pressures ease. To reduce the risk of spreading infection some restrictions will still apply, such as the number of people allowed in to the hospital and the amount of time you can stay.Visiting A&E
Patients are asked to come to A&E on their own. You can be accompanied by a partner, family member, friend or carer if you are a patient with a physical or mental disability who cannot attend alone, or you are under the age of 16.Masks and social distancing
All visitors must wear a face mask or face covering at all times within the hospital, and follow the hands, face and space guidelines. We understand that not all patients will be able to wear a face covering, such as young children or those with breathing difficulties.Got a question? Please see our FAQ.
You must not come to the hospital if you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms.
Please follow the self-isolation guidelines.
Inpatient visiting
Limited visiting is permitted in line with NHS guidance.
- One visitor, a close family contact or someone important to the patient, can visit for one hour a day
- Visits must be booked in advance with ward staff
- Visitors must wear a face mask or face covering at all times
- Visitors to those patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 will be supported to wear extra personal protective equipment
Exceptions to one-visitor regulation
- Children's Ward and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- Vulnerable adults
- Patients nearing end of life
Maternity
Support for women during their maternity journey.
- In line with NHS guidance, we are pleased to inform you that all women receiving care from the RUH maternity services, and its local maternity birth units (Chippenham and Frome) can have up to two birth supporters to accompany them during labour
- Our Outpatient Maternity Assessment areas (Day Assessment Unit, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Frome and Paulton or if you are seeing a midwife in a GP surgery) remain unchanged with one support person able to attend
- One person can visit a woman on Mary ward (antenatal and postnatal ward) between 9am and 9pm
- Women requiring a longer stay on Bath Birthing Centre will also be able to have one support person between 9am and 9pm
- One support person can attend all maternity ultrasound scans
- When visiting you will be asked to keep movements within the area to a minimum, so please bring plenty of supplies with you and please continue to wear a face covering at all times
- As per Government guidelines, we encourage all women and visitors to undertake twice weekly home COVID-19 testing. Information on how you obtain these tests can be accessed below or by discussing with your midwife.
Send a message to your loved one
If you're unable to visit, we can help you to keep in touch by passing on a message to your loved one.
The RUH is committed to supporting and facilitating virtual contact across the organisation. All inpatient areas have an IPhone to support patients with ongoing contact with their family and friends. We also ask, where possible, that patients bring in their own mobile device and charger and that the lock mode is disabled.
We can also help by passing on a message to your loved one in hospital. This service is designed to let patients know that their friends and loved ones are well, thinking of them and sending their best wishes.
- Step one: Email ruh-tr.keepingintouch@nhs.net or call 01225 825656 or 01225 826319 to tell us what your message is. Please provide the patient's name, date of birth, location or ward if known, and your details including your relationship to the patient.
- Step two: Your message will be delivered to the patient using our in-house postal service, Monday to Friday.
Unfortunately we are unable to facilitate sending messages back from patients to their family or friends.