For Patients & Visitors
Covid-19 safety measures are still in place at our hospitals and visiting remains supsended.
Despite the Government’s easing of nationwide restrictions, we expect all patients, visitors and staff to continue to follow the Trust’s Covid-19 safety measures and help us to keep everyone safe.
Please continue to:
- Wear a mask
- Clean your hands regularly
- Stay at least 2m apart where possible
Thank you for observing our strict safety measures when attending our hospitals.
- Visiting
Visiting Restrictions Remain In Place Across Our Hospitals
Visiting remains suspended at our hospitals including in A&E with the following exceptions:
- Patients receiving end of life care
- A parent / responsible adult visiting a child
- Carer supporting a patient with mental health issue such as dementia, learning disabilities or specific rehabilitation needs
- Maternity - one birth partner permitted to attend appointments, throughout labour and limited post-natal visiting.
Any visiting must be agreed with the nurse / midwife in charge of the ward / department BEFORE coming to the hospital.
No other visitors are permitted to visit any other ward / department at any time.
Thank you for your co-operation at this time.
- Covid-19 vaccine information
Covid-19 Vaccine
Click here for the latest information
- Respect for people during your visit
We are proud of our highly skilled colleagues, who have a range of diverse backgrounds. We also care for a diverse group of patients. We do not tolerate physical or verbal abuse or any form of discrimination towards our staff or patients. This includes, but is not limited to, racism, homophobia, anti-religion and sexism. We will robustly manage any such incidents and, where appropriate, will involve the police.
- Keeping in touch with patients
Contacting the ward
Please agree one main point of contact per patient, this should be the only person to contact the ward staff by telephone.
For further information regarding visiting restrictions please click here to contact the Trust's Patient Advice and Liaison Service available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday tel: 0151 430 1376 pals@sthk.nhs.uk
Contacting a patient
We understand not being able to visit is difficult. There are several services in place for you to keep in touch with loved ones in our hospitals.
- PenPals service – send your letters, messages and pictures to your relative in our hospitals by email: pals@sthk.nhs.uk
- Patient Advice and Liaison Service – contact our PALS Team if you need confidential advice and support.They can help if you need to check on a relative's condition or would like regular information about their care. They can also arrange virtual visiting through Facetime or Skype. Contact them from 9am- 5pm, Monday-Friday tel: 0151 430 1376 pals@sthk.nhs.uk
- Using a face mask
All patients and visitors must wear a face mask / covering when in a building or enclosed space across our sites. If possible, please bring your own face mask / covering with you.
If you do not have one, you will be given a face mask when you arrive for your appointment or treatment.Please ensure that you follow these guidelines:
- Wear your mask at all times unless told otherwise by a member of staff
- Use the mask properly - ensure it covers your nose and mouth. Do not allow to dangle around your neck.
- Clean your hands before putting your mask on and taking it off
- Ask a member of staff for a new mask if yours becomes soiled / very damp
- Continue to observe social distancing, keeping at least 2 metres from other people
- Dispose of your mask in the appropriate bins located at all the exits.
- Attending A&E
Due to social distancing measures there is limited space in our waiting room.
For this reason we require you to attend our A&E department alone.
If this is not possible, please speak to a member of the senior nursing team.
Please register with A&E reception and remain there until you are seen by a clinician.
- Outpatient Appointment Information
If there are any changes to your outpatient appointments, our team will contact you directly to discuss this. Otherwise, please attend the appointment as scheduled.
If possible, please bring a face mask / covering with you.
Your Appointment
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please tell us as soon as possible and if possible give us at least 48 hours of your cancellation.
Call to change or cancel your appointment using 0151 430 1234 or complete this form.
- Maternity Information
The current restrictions mean that we have made changes to some of our maternity services.
For the latest information please visit our Maternity page.
- Cancer Services Information
Continuing to deliver cancer care is a top priority and we are taking some additional measure to ensure patients safety.
For the latest information please visit our cancer services page.
- Watch for COVID-19 symptoms
Please DO NOT enter our hospitals if you have coronavirus symptoms:
- a high temperature (37.8 degrees or higher)
- a new continuous cough
- loss or change in sense of smell or taste
Do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital if you think you might have Coronavirus.
Please stay at home.
Use the 111 online coronavirus service if you have any of the symptoms by visiting www.nhs.uk.
- Stopping the spread
Stopping the spread
Please Observe Social Distancing
Social distancing measures are in place across all our hospitals.
- Please keep at least 2 metres between other people
- Please keep to the left when moving around the hospital
- Please remain in the waiting room or department at all times until instructed by a member of staff
- Please follow the instructions given by staff and on signage when you attend.
Please refrain from moving around the hospital unnecessarily
- Please observe infection prevention and control
- Please use hand sanitiser provided and wash your hands often with soap and water
- Please cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the bin
- Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Please use face mask / covering where possible
- Official Information Sources
- For a British Sign Language Coronavirus information video please click here
- For guides on social distancing in different languages please click here
- For COVID-19 guidance in different languages please click here
- How to safely wear a face mask: Tips for visually impaired people - click here
- For COVID-19 Vaccination information in different languages and large print please click here
If you are concerned about Coronavirus (COVID-19) there is lots of official information online from the NHS and Public Health England. Please refer to the list of official resources below for the latest guidance and advice.
NHS 111: https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19
NHS website: https://nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19
Public Health England: gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
World Health Organisation: who.int/health-topics/coronavirus - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine Guidance
Doctors of the World, in partnership with the British Red Cross, has produced translated coronavirus vaccine guidance for migrant and other excluded communities in England, Scotland, and Wales, to ensure everyone can access essential information about the coronavirus vaccines.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is safe and effective. It gives the best protection against coronavirus.
The guidance includes advice on who can get the coronavirus vaccine and how to get it, as well as information on the safety, effectiveness, side effects, and ingredients of the vaccine.
It can be viewed online or downloaded for free, and is available in the following languages with more to come!
Now available: English, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Dari, Farsi, Filipino, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Indonesian, Kurdish Sorani, Malayalam, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Somali, Tamil, Tigrinya, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese.
- What to expect after your COVID-19 vaccination leaflet
