Fife hospitals: Essential visitors only amid COVID concerns and staffing issues
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The move has been introduced at eight NHS Fife sites on a temporary basis, with cases of the virus on the rise and inpatient wards being affected by staffing issues and the need to maintain safe social distancing.
Arrangements at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital, where the region’s accident and emergency department is situated, remain unchanged.
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Hide AdThe hospitals affected are Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline; Adamson Hospital, Cameron Hospital, Glenrothes Hospital, Lynebank Hospital, St Andrews Community Hospital, Stratheden Hospital and Whyteman's Brae in Kirkcaldy.
A spokesperson for NHS Fife confirmed: “We have had to make temporary changes to visiting arrangements in our community hospitals after a sharp rise in the number of inpatient wards affected by COVID-19.
“While transmission of the virus is particularly high, it has been necessary that we temporarily restrict visiting in our community hospitals to essential visits only.
“This position will remain under continual review and restrictions will be eased as soon as it is safe to do so.”
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Hide AdPatients at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital are still being restricted to one visitor per person per day, and visits should be organised with nursing staff in advance where possible.
The visitor can be interchanged daily - a spouse could visit one day, and a daughter, the next.
There are a number of areas exempt where visiting is considered to be essential. These include maternity wards, mental health departments, children’s services and end of life care.