A guide to visiting someone in hospital

This code is designed to combat the spread of infection, protect patients’ rest and privacy, and to help keep your hospitals clean and safe. We will do all we can to help you observe the code. If there are details which are not clear please ask. We will always apply these rules sensitively, but they are for the benefit of all our patients.

Please do not...

visit hospital if you have a cough, cold or diarrhoea

visit more than two at a time (for patient comfort and privacy). Please take turns to go onto the ward if there is a large group

sit or lie on the beds (this spreads germs). Please use the chairs provided

use the patients’ toilets. Ask the ward staff for directions to the nearest public toilets

touch wounds, drips, catheters or medical equipment. This causes infections and can be dangerous

use your mobile phone on the wards. Turn mobile phones off during visiting

bring flowers onto the wards. Patients will appreciate them even more at home after their hospital stay

drop litter. Help us keep our hospitals clean

bring young children (under 12) to visit unless you agree with the nurses that this is in your relative’s best interest. (Brothers and sisters of children in hospital may visit if accompanied by an adult relative)

Please do...

visit 2.30pm - 8.30pm*. Staff will minimise interruptions during these official hours, but please leave promptly if asked to do so to allow rest, meals or treatment

use the hand rub provided at the ward entrance when entering and leaving the ward (or wash your hands with soap and water) to help us reduce the risk of infection

remember it’s ok to ask staff if they have cleaned their hands. Our Uniform Policy requires staff giving direct patient care to be bare below the elbows and remove watches and stoned rings. We encourage you to challenge our staff or raise your concerns with the ward sister if this code is not observed

speak to the ward sister or nurse/midwife in charge immediately if you have any concerns about patient care or cleanliness of the ward

extinguish all cigarettes well before you reach the hospital. Smoking is not permitted in the hospital or its grounds. If you need advice or support to give up smoking we would be pleased to help

*with the exception of children’s wards, maternity, neonatal units, critical care units, Hayward House and Linden Lodge. Please click here for specific ward details. We appreciate that there will be occasions when people will want to visit friends or relatives outside 2.30-8.30pm. If you need to visit outside of these hours, please speak to the ward sister - where possible we will accommodate your request.

Travel to hospital

Parking at our hospitals is very limited. We advise travel by public transport if at all possible, including our award winning Medilink bus service.

For more information and timetables for the Medilink bus service or for directions to our hospitals please visit: www.nuh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/transport

Parking spaces for people with disabilities are available at each of the City and Queen’s Hospital campuses.

We have zero tolerance of violence and aggression (threatened or actual, verbal or physical) towards other patients, staff or members of the public. Assault is a crime. Our security staff and/or the police will immediately remove anyone behaving in this way, and we will seek maximum penalties in the court.

If you need this leaflet in a different format (Braille, Audio) or another language please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on:
0800 183 0204 (QMC campus)
0800 052 1195 (City Hospital campus)