Bosses at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust - which runs the Freeman hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary - are reviewing how visiting works at the city's two hospitals.
The trust is currently seeking feedback from the community about whether hospital visiting policy should change, which times would be best for visiting, and even if wards should be open to visitors all day. Though Covid-19 has seen frequent changes to visiting policies at the trust - and around the region's NHS - as official guidance has changed, most restrictions have been relaxed for the best part of a year in Newcastle.
Now, with the picture more stable, hospital leaders want feedback as they look at whether to alter visiting policy.
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As it stands, the trust website explains that inpatients can have up to two visitors a day and that visiting is at the discretion of the ward sister. In most areas, visiting is possible from 2 to 4pm and 6 to 8pm on weekdays and 2 to 8pm on a weekend. However, again the trust highlights that visiting arrangements can be flexible.
"Some wards or departments may still require appointments to be to booked in advance to manage the flow of visitors on the ward," the trust's website said.
In launching the survey, the trust said: "As a patient and/or visitor to the hospital, you will be aware that visiting was restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to keep our patients and staff as safe as possible.
"Visiting has now been reinstated in most areas but we are keen to review our policy and hear your views on what works well for patients and their visitors, and what could be improved."
The survey suggests that changes could see visiting allowed between 1 and 8pm, or at any time during the day. Visitors are also asked if they have had issues seeing a patient in hospital and if they believe there should be a limit on the number of visitors for a patient each day.
This comes while the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust - and the NHS generally - deals with greater pressures than ever seen before as a combination of Covid-19, high winter flu levels and staff shortages bite.
Take part in the survey here.
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