Lockdown in Wakefield: Visiting suspended at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals amid rise in Covid cases

Visiting has been suspended at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals as a second national lockdown comes into effect.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs all three sites, said it had taken the decision to suspend visiting at the sites until further notice "to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our patients, communities and staff."

Under the new rules, which come into place today (Thursday, November 5), no visitors will be allowed to any of the hospital sites or the Wakefield Intermediate Care Unit.

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In the meantime, other forms of communication will be encouraged, and the Trust will encourage virtual forms of communication including phone and video calls.

Visiting has been suspended at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals as a second national lockdown comes into effect.Visiting has been suspended at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals as a second national lockdown comes into effect.
Visiting has been suspended at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals as a second national lockdown comes into effect.

Exceptions to the rules will be made for those visiting Maternity wards or children who are in hospital, as well as for immediate family visiting those at the end of their life and carers for patients who require assistance.

Patients may also be accompanied where necessary to assist their communication or to meet their health, religious or spiritual care needs.

However, before visiting in these exceptional circumstances, visitors should call the war directly between 10am and 11am to discuss their visit.

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Once on site, they will be required to carry out a verbal symptom check to make sure they do not have any symptoms of Covid-19, as well as providing their name and contact details for NHS Test and Trace.

Face masks must be worn at all times, and visitor numbers to wards may be limited.

Social distancing must be adhered to at all times, including in communal areas such as lifts, and the Trust warns that visits may be restricted or shortened to ensure these rules are followed.

You can view the full guidance on the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust website.

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