Covid: Wales hospital visit rule change welcomed by parents

Michael Taylor said one of the most difficult parts was not being able to support your partner in hospital

Hospital patients in Wales may be able to have more visitors as new visiting guidelines come into force.

The new guidelines will give health boards the option to use lateral flow or point-of-care testing to allow hospital visits, including in maternity units.

Some expectant parents have criticised the Welsh government's handling of maternity visiting during the pandemic.

It said rules had been set to protect the safety of patients and staff.

It is still down to individual health boards how they choose to implement Covid rules.

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Michael Taylor was told he could not go in to hospital with his partner when their son had an asthma attack

One couple who know all too well the impact strict Covid rules in hospitals can have are Michael Taylor and his girlfriend Jade Lamb.

'Insulting'

Their 14-month-old son Jesse was born prematurely at the beginning of the pandemic and has been in and out of hospital for lung support since.

Jesse had an asthma attack on 28 July last year and his father said they realised "pretty quickly" he needed to be in hospital.

When they arrived at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, they were told only one parent could go in, as had been the case on every visit since Jesse was born.

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Mr Taylor, 32, from Upper Boat, near Pontypridd, said while he understood "things were unknown" about Covid initially, now it felt "insulting" as large events are now able to take place in Wales.

The father of two said the changes were welcome but they should have been brought in much sooner.

He said that a lot of people had missed out on vital time with their loved ones and many had been unable to support their partners.

The safety of mothers, babies and staff is at the heart of visiting guidance, the Welsh government says

"I just feel for parents whose children have been in hospital for long periods of time," he said.

"I have had people contact me to say their newborn has been in hospital for 11 weeks and the couple only get half an hour together with them."

'A birth partner is not a visitor'

Sarah Rees, the Welsh representative of campaign group But Not Maternity, questioned why pubs had fewer restrictions than labour wards.

"You can go to the pub with five of your friends but you can't care for your sick baby in hospital with your partner," she said.

"I totally agree that obviously everyone's safety is at the heart, but the crucial point for me is that a birth partner is not a visitor - they are a core part of that process."

Different health boards have different rules for attending maternity appointments with a partner, and people are advised to check with their local service.

Alyson Thomas, the chief executive of the Board of Community Health Councils in Wales, said the rule change was a "welcome development".

"Nothing beats real human contact with those who know and love you the most, so today's new framework for us is a really welcome development," she said.

The Welsh government said the Covid-19 pandemic had been a "difficult time" for patients and families.

"Maternity services keep their visiting guidance under review to enable partners to support women at all stages of pregnancy and birth," it said in a statement.

"The safety and wellbeing of mothers and babies, as well as the staff who support them, is at the heart of their visiting guidance."

'Covid is still here'

Dr Richard Pugh said patients "miss out so much" from not having face-to-face visitors

The change in guidance will also allow people to visit patients on intensive care units, which will be "enormously helpful," according to the chairman of the Welsh Intensive Care Society.

"We miss out so much not having visitors visiting face-to-face," said Dr Richard Pugh, who is also a consultant in intensive care medicine at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire.

"Generally, in terms of being able to communicate how someone is day-to-day, it's very difficult to convey over the telephone, so that communication aspect and making sure people can see how their loved ones are doing is incredibly important.

"The process needs to be balanced. What the guidance indicates is that this is not a return to normal visiting processes. This is very much visiting with a purpose."

Dr Iona Collins, vice chair of the British Medical Association in Wales, said there was a "delicate balance" to be struck between allowing more visitors and preventing the spread of the virus.

She said: "We want human contact, we're social animals - but unfortunately we also know Covid spreads by human contact too.

"We mustn't forget that Covid is still here. It's a nasty virus and we have to continue to protect ourselves."

Health boards will have the option of using lateral flow tests or point-of-care testing to allow hospital visiting

Helen Whyley, director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales, said it was important for family to be able to visit patients again.

She said: "For a long time during this pandemic we have been people's family, and that's always a pleasure and an honour as a nurse but actually we know how important it is for a patient to have their loved ones."

Announcing the change, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: "Restrictions on visiting have a huge impact on patients and their loved ones. The new guidelines support health boards to make changes that provide further flexibility.

"Sadly coronavirus has not gone away and with the emergence of new variants, like delta, we have to remain vigilant. The priority is to keep people safe but there is always a balance between protecting people from the virus and supporting the wellbeing of patients and their loved ones."

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