Visiting rules set to be relaxed at Oxford University Hospitals

From Monday June 29, they will be allowing one visitor, for one hour, per patient, once a day.

One hour slots will be booked in advance by staff on the ward, who will contact named next of kin to arrange the appointment. Slots will only be available between Monday and Friday.

Some patients will have different arrangements, such as women in labour, child patients, patients at the end of their life, and patients with learning difficulties.

Visiting is still not allowed on wards where patients are being treated for COVID-19, and patients are expected to attend our outpatient departments unaccompanied unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Patients attending our Emergency Departments and Emergency Assessment Units are also expected to be unaccompanied unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Sam Foster, chief nursing officer at the trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to our patients and their families for being so understanding during this challenging time.

"We recognise how extremely difficult the past few months have been for people who couldn’t visit, and we have missed the support they can provide to their loved ones.

“Now, in line with updated government guidance, we will follow the ‘rule of one’ and allow one visitor per patient for one hour at a time. We will have measures in place to keep our patients and our visitors safe.

"This may mean that your experience is a little different but this is to make sure that patients, visitors and staff are kept safe. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.”

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in the UK, with a national and international reputation for the excellence of its services and its role in patient care, teaching and research.

The Trust employs over 12,000 staff and consists of four hospitals: the Churchill Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Message from the editor: Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.