Doncaster hospitals restrict visitors in bid to prevent spread of coronavirus

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the two hospitals, one in Worksop and a range of outpatient and other health services, announced the restriction on visitors yesterday in an effort to protect patients and staff.

Under new rules, visitors must be immediate family members or carers only and visits are restricted to between 6pm and 7pm.

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To protect vulnerable patients, two areas of Doncaster Royal Infirmary – Chatsfield Suite and Ward 18 – will have stricter visiting rules.

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Visitors should be limited to one per patient unless the patient is receiving end-of-life care or they are a partner and birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour.

No children under 16 should visit without the ward sister or charge nurse’s prior permission.

Slightly different rules apply to paediatrics and neonates – two visitors are allowed and this may include a child under 16.

As of yesterday, the number of people thought to have Covid-19 in the UK rose to 1,950 and the death toll climbed to 71.

Hospitals have been told to cancel non-urgent surgery and free up beds as they prepare for large numbers of coronavirus patients.

Pubs and restaurants were told yesterday that they will be allowed to be turned into takeaways to help provide food for people in self-isolation.

Britons were advised against non-essential travel to anywhere in the world as the coronavirus crisis closed borders around the globe.