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Western Isles hospitals ease ‘essential visitors only’ rules

Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway. Photo by Sandy McCook
Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway. Photo by Sandy McCook

NHS Western Isles has relaxed some of its hospital visiting rules.

The new arrangements mean that patients can have one daily visit from any two visitors whilst in hospital.

The visitors no longer have to be designated for the duration of a patient’s stay, so patients can now have different visitors on different days.

Visitors no longer need to be from the same household.

However, all visits must still be pre-booked.

The hospitals have previously brought in the ‘essential visitors only’ rule in December to manage the spread of Covid.

The hospitals impacted are Stornoway, Uist and Barra hospital in Benbecula and St Brendan’s hospital on Barra.

All hospitals on the Western Isles have relaxed visitor rules.

However, patients in wards that have a Covid case or in an area with an outbreak will continue to only be allowed one designated visitor per day.

Western Isles Hospital ward one was only recently reopened after it was closed for two weeks due to Covid.

All visits still must continue to be booked in advance.

Each visiting slot will be 30 minutes and visiting times are 1.30–4.30pm and 6–7.30pm.

All visitors are strongly requested to carry out a lateral flow test before they arrive. You can order them here.

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