March 24, 2020 3.48 pm This story is over 48 months old

Visiting suspended at Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospitals

No more visits amid coronavirus crisis
Scunthorpe General Hospital, Church Lane, Scunthorpe. | Photo: Calvin Robinson

Visiting will be suspended at Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospitals as health bosses look to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust will suspend visits as of tomorrow (March 25) unless it is in exceptional circumstances.

Only visits for a patient nearing end of life, one birthing partner or one parent visiting a child will be allowed.

You can follow live updates on coronavirus from around Lincoln and Lincolnshire in our live blog.

Ellie Monkhouse, chief nurse at NLaG, said the trust made the decision in order to protect patients and staff.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we need to do the utmost to protect our patients and staff throughout this pandemic,” she said.

Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby. Picture: Calvin Robinson.

“The new government guidance is clear; people need to stay at home and only go out for food, health reasons or essential travel to work. 

“We appreciate this will be difficult for people who are worried about their loved ones but it is an essential step we feel we must make.”

Patients who are well enough will however be given free calls from their bedsides to talk to their families in order to reduce phone calls to individual wards.

Meanwhile, the trust said patients who have a hospital appointment should still attend unless they hear otherwise.

It comes as hospitals in the region have implemented measures in response to coronavirus.

So far, three positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in North Lincolnshire and one in North East Lincolnshire.

It brings the total cases across Greater Lincolnshire to 27.

Hospital bosses at NLaG said last week that the trust is well prepared to treat patients with coronavirus.

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