Jersey hospital restricts visitors for one week

The Council of Ministers implemented the temporary restriction of visitors to Jersey’s General Hospital Adult Wards and Mental Health Wards

Visiting the adult and mental health wards at Jersey's General Hospital will be restricted from Thursday.

Health and Community Services reported several inpatients tested positive for Covid after a small number of visitors came in with symptoms.

Exceptions will be in place for people receiving end of life care, exceptional circumstances, and visits to the maternity and SCBU wards.

The restrictions will be reviewed after one week.

Adults intending to visit the emergency department will have to go in alone, and only one adult will be allowed to accompany a child.

The Minister for Health and Social Services Richard Renouf said the decision was made to support the efficiency of the hospital.

He said: "The hospital has been delivering excellent care with minimal disruption and we need to ensure this effective running can continue.

"We recognise the benefits to health and wellbeing that come from receiving visitors during hospital treatment and we deeply regret the need to announce further restrictions."

Hospital staff reported being subject to verbal abuse by "a small number of visitors" for asking visitors to comply with Covid measures.

"I am also angry to hear that clinical staff have been abused in this way; they come to work to care for Islanders and I am really proud of all that they do, we need to do all we can to make sure they are supported," Deputy Renouf added.

Jersey's chief nurse Rose Naylor said infection prevention is taken "incredibly seriously".

She said: "Our priority is to our patients, to ensure their safety while they are in our care, and to the health and wellbeing of our staff.

"We absolutely appreciate the benefits that seeing a loved one brings to people's recovery and as such restricting visiting, even temporarily is not something we do lightly."

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