Visiting restrictions at Colchester and Ipswich hospitals eased as Covid-19 cases fall

Patients at Colchester and Ipswich hospitals will be allowed to have visitors after the hospital eased some of their restrictions due to falling Covid-19 cases.

From this week, people who have stayed overnight on general wards will be allowed to have one visitor from their own household, for one hour a day.

Furthermore, mothers giving birth may be accompanied by another person throughout their stay on the labour ward.

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Nick Hulme, chief executive at East Suffolk and North East Essex Foundation Trust, said: "Our teams are working incredibly hard to keep everyone at our hospitals safe and to provide compassionate and high-quality care for all.

"We understand how important visiting is when someone you care about is in hospital and we believe these new visiting arrangements strike the right balance of safety and compassion.

"We thank everyone in our communities for their continuing support at this difficult time."

The new visiting arrangements also include:

• at least one visitor will be allowed for patients receiving end of life care, with more if social distancing can be maintained.

• a maximum of two visitors per appointment in the bereavement suite.

• a parent/carer may stay with a child in hospital.

Visiting rules had been tighter during the height of the lockdown, and some areas of the hospital still have no extra people allowed.

For example, outpatients or patients in accident and emergency are not allowed to be accompanied, unless they're a child or vulnerable adult.

Meanwhile, visitors to the critical care unit will only be allowed at the discretion of the nurse in charge.