NHS Borders has confirmed that from Monday July 4 2022 visiting restrictions will be eased by removing the visiting appointment system which is currently in place and re-introducing open visiting across the majority of their wards.

All mental health inpatient areas will have open visiting with no time restriction, all acute hospital inpatient areas will have open visiting between 2-7pm and all community hospitals will have open visiting between 2-7pm.

Women and children’s services (ward 15, ward 16, labour and Special Care Baby Unit) will be adopting a person-centred approach led by the patient and family.

In line with national guidance every patient can have two visitors at any one time.

These visitors can be interchangeable meaning that a patient can choose to change who their visitors are if they wish (e.g. on Monday a patient’s sister and daughter could visit, then on Tuesday the patient’s sister and son could visit).

The two visitors may also be able to visit their loved one together (regardless of if they are from the same household) depending on the ward area and other contributing factors.

Some areas may be able to accommodate multiple visits per day with up to two visitors each time (e.g. a patient’s mother and father could visit in the morning, followed by their husband and child in the afternoon).

Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, Sarah Horan, said: “We are delighted that all of our patients will soon benefit from open visiting when we ease the restrictions further on Monday 4 July.

“The importance of support from family members and loved ones to people in hospital cannot be overstated – it can have a positive impact on the nutrition, healing, recovery and overall quality of care of our patients. In addition to this, visiting brings comfort to both the person in hospital and their family, friends or carers.

“We continue to work hard to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control measures are in place to limit the spread of infections and viruses such as Covid-19. Please help us keep your loved ones and our staff as safe as possible by following our visiting guidance.”  

NHS Borders are asking visitors to follow the guidance below:

Do not visit NHS Borders facilities if you have the following symptoms:  continuous cough, high temperature, fever or chills, loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell, unexplained tiredness or lack of energy,  muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise, headache that's unusual or longer lasting than usual,  sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick, new rash or skin condition

Do not visit our facilities if you have had symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting in the previous 48 hours

Wear a face mask, if you are able to, in our facilities at all times. ensure that you have had all of your Covid-19 vaccinations and Make use of the Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Covid-19 testing offer which is available to anyone in Scotland who is attending a hospital or care home.

Also Follow any instructions given to you by signage or members of staff

Please note that restrictions may vary depending on circumstances – for example if there is a Covid-19 outbreak then restrictions in a particular ward or area may be necessary.