From Monday 20th June 2022, visitors to St Mary’s Hospital and other Trust sites are no longer required to wear face masks, unless it is their personal preference to do so.
The Trust is also pleased to welcome two visitors per hospital inpatient per day to visit from now on.
National guidance
These changes have been made in line with national guidance on the mandated use of face masks in healthcare settings.
To continue to protect those who are most vulnerable and at high risk, we ask that the wearing of face masks continues in the following situations:
- Visitors who are presenting with respiratory / COVID symptoms, are on a respiratory pathway, or immuno-compromised, if this can be tolerated and deemed safe for the patient
- Visitors may be asked to wear a facemask in our ‘higher risk’ clinical areas, such as the respiratory department and intensive care unit. Please speak to the ward or department you are visiting if you are unsure whether you need to wear a mask.
Vulnerable and high-risk patients
Vulnerable and high-risk patients and visitors can ask staff members to wear a mask, and face masks will continue to be available to those who choose to wear one.
All visitors should continue to sanitise their hands on entering and leaving the hospital and ward or department.
This guidance may change if there is a known or suspected outbreak of COVID, or a new variant emerges.
Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs said,
“Thank you to everyone who has followed the range of infection prevention and control guidance in place throughout the pandemic, and to all those who had their vaccinations.
“Those actions have made a positive difference to our community and allowed us to go forward in making these significant changes today.”
The Island’s level of COVID is currently very low, however the need for face masks and restrictions on visitor access will be regularly reviewed and updated on our Patient and Visitors’ Webpage.
News shared by Isle of Wight NHS Trust, in their own words. Ed
Image: thenationalguard under CC BY 2.0
