The Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust issued a warning to patients and staff saying: social distance while we are.our buildings despite the lifting of national restrictions.
“This is to keep vulnerable people as safe as possible.”
A similar call came from the confidence of the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS, which issued a statement saying: “All visitors to the wards must wear a mask to protect our patients and staff from the spread of Covid-19 and other infections. “.
The Croydon Health Services NHS Trust also advises people to still wear masks.
However, the confidence of Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals in Surrey has taken a different approach.
He said in a statement: “Following an update on national guidelines, visitors and those accompanying patients to outpatient appointments or the emergency department are no longer required to wear a face mask. You may wear a face cap. if it is your personal preference to do so “.
The NHS Foundation Trust for Gloucestershire Hospitals said: “According to national guidelines, the requirement to wear masks in healthcare settings will end at our hospitals from Tuesday 7 June.
“There are some exceptions, including oncology / hematology inpatient / outpatient areas, Covid-19 cohort areas, and any Covid outbreak room.”
Use “if tolerated” masks
The national guide said patients with respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, should continue to wear masks or blankets “if tolerated.”
People admitted to the hospital with Covid-19, or suspected of having Covid, should also receive a mask when they are admitted to a ward or community area “if this is tolerated and considered safe for the patient.” , added.
Patients with Covid-19 in single rooms are not usually required to wear a mask.
Hospital patients who do not have Covid do not need to wear a mask unless it is their “personal preference,” the letter adds.
However, they may be asked to do so in some high-risk areas, such as cancer units, blood disorder treatment services, or nursing homes.
As for health and care staff, the use of masks is still recommended in high-risk areas, but the rules should be “guided by a local assessment.”
Staff wearing masks as part of PPE
Personnel who may come into contact with someone with Covid-19 must also wear masks as part of their personal protective equipment (PPE). This could include Covid wards, A&E departments, and GP surgeries.
The use of a universal mask by staff should be considered when there is a local outbreak of cases, the guide adds.
Staff should no longer wear masks in non-clinical areas, such as staff rooms and offices.
The letter adds that any infection control measures beyond those set out in national guidelines are “a matter of local discretion”.
Rules for visitors
He also suggests that most rules for visitors should go back to pre-pandemic policies.
Visitors may be asked to wear masks in high-risk areas, but they will not usually be asked to wear masks when accompanying patients to other areas of hospitals, “although they may be encouraged to wear masks in high-risk areas. ‘a local risk assessment’, the letter. added.
The letter, written by Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s National Medical Director, and Duncan Burton, England’s Deputy Director of Nursing, said that infection control measures limit hospital capacity and slow the flow of patients. .
However, he suggested that it is up to hospitals to make their own decisions about whether to go beyond national guidelines.
“We understand that there may be a transition period as providers make changes to their operating procedures, especially given the local variation in Covid-19 infection levels,” the letter said.