Visitor restrictions relaxed at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital

On Thursday, Western Health issued a release saying some of the restrictions for visitors at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital have been relaxed.

Although the visiting hours from 2 to 9 p.m. will be enforced, Western Health is advising that patients can have one designated person, who may stay longer.

Volunteer programs at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital will also once again be reinstated.

Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital was the last hospital or health centre in the Western region to have a visitation ban still in place due to influenza like illness. Visitation bans at other health centres were lifted last week.

"We are pleased to lift the visitation ban but want to remind the public that our visitation policy will be enforced," said Dr. Minnie Wasmeier, Chief Operating Officer of Secondary Services at Western Health.

"Our visitation policy recognizes the role that visitors play and makes an exception for what we are calling a primary support person, who provides support to the patient beyond what a regular visitor does."

She said having a primary support person is an essential part of patients' recovery and is important in the development of patients' individualized care plan."

The primary support person will be chosen by the patient or their family and will be permitted to stay with the patient outside general visiting hours. The individual may be a close family member or close friend who knows the individual very well. There can be more than one primary care person for each patient, but only one will be able to stay beyond general visiting hours.

Western Health recognizes the role visitors have in the health of a patient, but will be enforcing the visitor's policy to ensure visitors do not impede the work a patient and key health professionals need to do.

"During the day, patients need to have time to get their appropriate care from a range of health professionals," said Dr. Wasmeier. "This is critical so that the patient can recover and get well as soon as possible."

There can be no more that two individuals visiting each patient at one time, including children, who must be supervised by an adult and are only allowed to visit certain areas.. More information about Western Health's general visiting regulations can be found on their website, www.westernhealth.nl.ca and on in-patients units.