Hospital restricts visits following virus outbreak

Visitors will not be allowed into Scarborough Hospital unless it is an "exceptional circumstance" following a further Norovirus outbreak.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2016, 08:51 BST
Updated 23rd Mar 2016, 08:57 BST
Scarborough HospitalScarborough Hospital
Scarborough Hospital

Due to an outbreak of norovirus at Scarborough Hospital, York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has made the decision to restrict visiting to the hospital in order to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

This is the first time that the hospital has enforced restricted visiting.

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The trust has been urging people not to visit the hospital if they have been unwell, however it has not been possible to contain the virus so the decision has been made to restrict visiting to prevent the virus being brought back into the hospital from the community.

Beverley Geary, chief nurse and director of Infection Prevention at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explained: “Over the past few months we have experienced a high level of norovirus at Scarborough Hospital which has resulted in the closure of a number of wards.

"Closing wards can help to contain the virus but visitors play a huge part in preventing the continued spread of the infection.

“The safety of our patients is our top priority.

"Whilst we recognise the importance of having people visit when you are in hospital, we now need to introduce these measures in order to protect our patients, as well as keeping our staff safe, well and able to provide the best care.

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“The situation will be reviewed on a daily basis and as soon as it is safe to do, we will lift the restrictions. Signs have been displayed throughout the hospital informing people of the restrictions and the information is on the homepage of the Trust’s website.

“We would ask people to respect the decision and to treat our staff, who will be enforcing the visiting restrictions, with courtesy and respect.”

Visiting will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances for example, patients in Intensive Care, the Children’s Ward, Maternity and patients receiving End of Life Care.

We ask that people speak with the ward Sister or Matron if they need any more information.

Most people recover within one or two days from norovirus, however if symptoms persist (more than 48 hours), the advice is not to come to A&E but to phone the GP or NHS 111.