Rochdale Infirmary under visitor restrictions

Date published: 03/01/2008

Rochdale Infirmary is under visitor restrictions in response to a wave of winter vomiting disease that is sweeping the country.

The Health Protection Agency said today that around 100,000 people are contracting the condition each week, a record figure.

Pennine Acute Trust has extended restrictions, that were previously only in place at The Royal Oldham Hospital, to the other three hospitals under its jurisdiction, Rochdale Infirmary, Bury’s Fairfield General Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital.

The restrictions are designed to help protect patients from the risk of the condition and mean that visits should be made only by family members and close friends and should be limited to a maximum of two visitors per patient. The Trust are advising that children should not visit.

Patients should attend their hospital appointments as normal; the restrictions only apply to people who are planning to visit friends or relatives in hospital.

Infection prevention teams have imposed the restrictions as part of precautions designed to protect both patients and visitors.

People must not pay visits if they are suffering from stomach complaints such as diarrhoea and vomiting. If they have, then the Trust says that they should wait 48 hours after the symptoms have cleared before visiting. People with coughs, colds and sneezes should not visit at all.
 
It is particularly important that any visitors to the hospital wash their hands to reduce the risk of infection to themselves and patients.

Claire Chadwick, the Trust’s lead nurse for infection prevention and control, said: "This condition is circulating widely in the community, and we want to ensure that patients are well-protected against it. We hope that everyone understands the importance of these temporary restrictions to support the work of infection prevention teams and ward staff.

"We are working very closely with community and PCT colleagues because there are many individuals in the community with symptoms. People who have had symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting or fever in the last 48 hours, or who have been in contact in the last 48 hours with anyone who has had these symptoms, should not visit any hospital.

"We would like to thank people for their support with this, and we will advise them when visiting rules return to normal arrangements. If people are in any doubt about visiting any of our hospitals then they should first contact the ward sister for advice."

Advice leaflets have been distributed throughout the hospitals, explaining the reason for the restrictions, and stressing the importance of supporting the infection control work.