Who can visit?

Inpatient wards

Adult inpatients will be allowed to have two visitors per day.

Visiting will be from 2pm to 8pm each day, including at weekends, although wards may occasionally need to introduce different visiting hours. Please check with the ward manager if you are unsure of the visiting arrangements for the ward on which your friend or relative is being treated.

Pregnant people and birthing partners

Two birth partners can be with you throughout your labour and can be present when you are receiving one-to-one care from a midwife in a labour room and during inductions of labour, elective cases, or High Dependency Unit care.

On the postnatal and antenatal wards, one support person is welcome for the duration of your stay.

You will be able to attend hospital-based antenatal clinics (Windsor walk, Venetian building, Community Midwives Centre, Midwives House, Orpington Hospital, Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s – Sidcup) with one other person.

In the Neonatal Unit the other parent and siblings of the baby can visit at any time.

Children

Both parents and siblings are permitted to visit children who are inpatients on our paediatric wards.

Critical care

Visiting will be from 2pm to 7.30pm each day, including at weekends. Please speak to the critical care team in advance if there are any additional visiting requests.

End of life care patients

Patients nearing the end of their lives can have up to four visitors where this can happen safely. However, please speak to the ward manager in advance before agreeing how many visitors are permitted, and when the visits can take place. We will do our very best to accommodate your wishes.

Patients with disabilities or specific care needs

Patients with specific care needs, including dementia, learning disabilities or mental health needs, will be permitted visitors for extended periods, but please agree this with the relevant ward leader, matron or head of nursing for the area in which they are being cared for.

The same applies to patients in distress, or who are deteriorating due to isolation from visitors. However, as above, please agree this with the ward leader, matron or head of nursing for the area in which they are being cared for.

If you cannot visit

You may wish to use phone, email, Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp to keep in touch with relatives or friends in the hospital.

All patients at Princess Royal University Hospital have access to free patient Wi-Fi and through this, patients are able to access a range of TV, radio and other entertainment options.

Request a Skype video call

We have introduced iPads on our wards at the PRUH, to help patients stay in touch with their loved ones by video. This is an alternative to visiting in person, and is important in helping patients maintain good mental health.

Each ward has an iPad or tablet set up with a Skype account. If you would like to video call your loved one using the ward Skype account, please phone the ward to arrange this. This is to help manage demand and to set aside time for you to talk to your loved one.

To use Skype, you will need a working internet connection and a Skype account already set up. The Skype website has details of how to set up a Skype account.