Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Welsh Government is publishing revised NHS Wales hospital visiting guidance which will commence from 20 July 2020. This supersedes previous published guidance of 25 March and 20 April 2020.
The Welsh Government supports a person-centred, flexible approach to visiting. However, Wales is still in a phase of sustained community transmission of COVID-19 and our first priority is the prevention and control of infection in our healthcare settings. This is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of patients/service users, staff and visitors themselves.
Visiting should be with a clear purpose and agreement for visiting based on the best interests of the patient/service user or the well-being of the visitor.
This updated guidance aims to assist NHS Wales health boards and trusts to strike a balance, in terms of visiting principles, between allowing visiting with a purpose and the clear need to maintain robust infection prevention and control strategies at this stage in the pandemic, for the safety of patients, visitors and staff. In order to comply with the 2 metres social/physical distancing measure it is still necessary to restrict the number of visitors.
Face-to-face visiting needs to be agreed in advance and outdoor visits may be offered if appropriate. Virtual visiting should be encouraged and supported where possible. This guidance is being kept under review and will change as the pandemic status alters.