Ward visiting times and contacts

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic we need to restrict visiting to our hospital inpatients.

We know that it’s important for our patients to see family and friends. We are reluctantly taking these steps to help prevent the spread of infection and ask that the public consider other ways of contacting loved ones such as using personal mobile phones or digital devices for video calls. You can also use our free Keeping In Touch service to speak to patients at West Suffolk Hospital who do not have their own devices.

These arrangements apply at West Suffolk Hospital, Newmarket Community Hospital, and Glastonbury Court.

From Wednesday, 27 October 2021, we suspended most inpatient visiting. This was due to the high number of Covid-19 infections in the community, and the increasing number of patients with Covid-19 in West Suffolk Hospital.

For our hospitals, this means:

• Most inpatients will not be able to have in-person visiting. Patients can use their own mobile devices to keep in touch with relatives and friends, and our free Keeping In Touch service can arrange video calls for people without their own devices at West Suffolk Hospital. Relatives should be encouraged to use the clinical helpline (01284 713155 between 10am and 6pm, seven days a week) for updates on loved ones.
• Child inpatient visiting arrangements are unchanged. There is unlimited visiting time for up to two parents of child inpatients; unfortunately children under 16, including siblings, cannot visit inpatients.
• Maternity visiting arrangements are unchanged - click for full details of arrangements for appointments, scans, and labour.
• End of life patients and those with a learning disability, dementia, or other mental health needs: we will discuss and agree appropriate visiting with relatives and carers.

We will continue to review the suspension in line with admissions and overall community prevalence, and decide whether to continue to return to a restricted visiting policy.

Information for people visiting under the above exceptions

For most patients, inpatient visiting is unfortunately suspended. For those exceptions above, we strongly encourage all visitors to take a Covid-19 lateral flow test before each visit. These are available free from the NHS for location collection or home delivery.

All visitors are required to wear 'surgical'-style face masks - these are provided at our hospital entrances. Please also use the hand sanitiser provided on arrival and before entering patient areas. 

These steps must still be followed even if you had a recent negative Covid-19 test or have received the Covid-19 vaccination. 

You must not visit the hospital if:

• have a positive lateral flow test result
• you have symptoms of coronavirus, or have been asked to isolate due to exposure to someone else who has them
• you are feeling unwell in any way
• you have previously been sent guidance to ‘shield’ or are within a ‘high risk group’, or
• you are under the age of 16.

Please be aware that you will normally have to pay to park at West Suffolk Hospital, unless you are a Blue Badge holder or a similar concession applies.

Disabled visitors using Car Park A should visit the car park office to validate their free parking. Disabled visitors using Car Park D should speak to the car park team via the intercom and follow instructions.

Clinical helpline

If you would like an update on your loved one, we run a dedicated clinical helpline who can help. Just phone 01284 713155 and select option 1. The helpline is available seven days a week 10am-6pm (closed for lunch 1pm-2pm).

Ward information

For detailed visitor information regarding our maternity services please click here.