Visitor information

Quicklinks

• Visiting times
• Registration and Health Declaration Form
• Martin Ward
• Outpatient Areas and Day Case Areas
• Personal Protective Equipment for all Visitors
• Contacting patients
• Children
• Pets
• Food and drink
• Flowers
• Smoking
• Fire Alarms

Visiting times

Whilst we recognise that friends and family members are a vital support, the utmost care and consideration must be given to the safety of other patients, visitors and staff by maintaining infection prevention and control procedures at all times. However due to the current level of community spread of Covid-19 within the Isle of Man, both Noble’s and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospitals have increased visiting precautions in order to protect vulnerable patients receiving treatment.

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation over recent months as we have worked to protect the vulnerable people in our care from potential exposure to COVID–19. We do need to remain vigilant and will continue to consider who can and cannot visit our hospitals as per the attached Visitor Registration form.

Religious and spiritual support is available for patients, either face-to-face or by telephone.

During the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting at Noble’s and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospitals will be as outlined below:

• All visiting must be arranged in advance with the Nurse in charge of the ward prior to coming to the hospital
• Patients can only receive one visitor at a time, with the duration of visiting lasting less than 15 minutes per visitor
• All visitors must wear a mask at all times in the hospital. If a visitor is unable to tolerate wearing a face mask, they should communicate with ward or outpatient clinic staff (if possible prior to their visit) so that a risk assessment can be undertaken. Social distancing must be maintained
• A Visitor Registration Form must be completed for all visitors entering the ward and given to the Ward Clerk or a member of nursing staff for Contact Tracing purposes 

All visitors are required to sanitise their hands on entry and exit to the hospitals, and again when entering and leaving wards. 

Registration and Health Declaration Form 

• All visitors must complete the registration form and health declaration form for each time a visit takes place. They must consent for their information to be retained by Manx Care for the purposes of containing the spread of COVID-19.
• Registration and health declaration forms will be placed at the entrance to each ward/clinical area.
• Completed registration and health declaration forms MUST be checked by a Registered Nurse or Health Care Assistant prior to visiting taking place.

Registration and health declaration forms will be kept in a file on each ward/clinical area for 21 days after the visit (to enable contact tracing if required).

Martin Ward 

• All visiting must be arranged in advance with the Nurse in charge of the ward prior to coming to the hospital.
• Patients can only receive one visitor at a time, with the duration of visiting lasting less than 15 minutes per visitor.
• Open to visitors 2pm to 4pm, and 7pm to 8pm.
• The ward is closed to visitors between 5.30pm and 6.30pm for patient meals. Visits outside of normal visiting hours are at the discretion of hospital staff.

Outpatient Areas  

The majority of Outpatient clinics and procedures/treatments in day case areas are operating as normal – however, some are operating in a virtual capacity.

1. All patients to attend outpatient clinics or day case areas alone unless under exceptional circumstances. 
2. All patients to wait in their cars until five minutes before their appointments.
3. One parent/escortper child will be permitted for the duration of the child’s stay in the Outpatient area.
4. A clinical decision must be made for any patient who requires additional assistance.
5. Any visitor who is coughing or shows other signs of illness will be asked to leave.
6. Any visitor who…
   1. has been identified as a high risk, low risk or closecontact by 111 within the previous 10 days;
      or
   2. has tested positive for Covid-19 using a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) or lab test;
      or
   3. have been legally instructed to self isolate by 111 Team as part of  a travel pathway to enter the island;
      or
   4. is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 e.g. new continuous cough, loss of taste and/or smell, new shortness of breath or a temperature of 37.8^oC or above;
      
      …will not be permitted to enter the Outpatient Areas or Day Case Areas.
      
      
7. Staff at the clinics will assess patients prior to them entering the waiting rooms.

On arrival at the outpatient clinics/day case area entrance, ALL VISITORS will be required to complete a registration and health declaration form (for each visit made) before entering the outpatient clinics/day case area.

However, if it is deemed that you are unwell or have not completed the form in full, you will not be permitted to enter. 

If an individual meets any of the above criteria, they will only be allowed to visit their relative if they are deemed to be imminent end of life, and with prior approval. 

Where visits are approved, the arrangements for each patient and their relatives will be agreed on a case by case basis to reflect the individual circumstances of the situation. The relative should contact the relevant ward to advise the nurse in charge of their planned arrival on Island.

1. The hospitals will allow and facilitate each relative one visit to allow them to see the patient. The time duration of visits will be at the discretion of the Senior Nurse and Senior Sister for the Ward area
2. Visits to patients who are imminent end of life can take place even whilst an individual is waiting for the results of their Covid-19 swab
3. Only one person must visit their relative at their bedside at any one time. All other visitors must wait in a location as directed by ward staff. Visitors who are isolating must not visit at the same time as other visitors.

Visitors should be aware that the Site Manager and other relevant Senior Managers will discuss the following topics, in consultation with the Senior Sister for the Ward area:

a) Number, frequency and duration of any further visits

b) Time and where visits will take place within a ward area.

Prior to arriving, relatives will be asked to make sure they are wearing an IIR facemask on entering hospital premises. The relative must be met at the Main Entrance by a member of the ward staff.

The relative will then be escorted to the ward by the staff member (who will also be wearing an IIR facemask).

Before entering their relative’s room, staff from the ward will make sure that all relatives have been shown how to correctly wear this (to include eye protection, gloves, IIR mask and apron) and will support them in making sure this has been put on correctly

Relatives should be clear they should not remove their PPE whilst in the room AT ANY TIME.

Once the visit is over, ward staff must escort the visitor(s) out to the Main Entrance. Visitors should be advised not to go to any other departments or locations within the hospital after visiting.

Any subsequent amendments to the original agreed arrangements must be approved by the Site Manager/relevant Senior Nurse in consultation with the Senior Sister for the Ward area.

Contacting patients

To enquire about a patient on Martin Ward please contact the ward staff directly. They can be contacted any time of day or night.

Martin Ward also offers an Email Greeting Service, enabling patients to receive emails from friends and family:

Patients and visitors are welcome to use their mobile telephones within the hospital. However, if a patient does not have access to a mobile telephone, the hospital has a number of portable patient phones which friends and family are invited to call. Please contact the ward for more information:  

Children

Children are welcome, at the discretion of hospital staff, to visit patients on Martin Ward. However, please remember that it may not be advisable to bring young children due to the nature of a hospital environment.

Moreover, please respect the privacy and comfort of other patients and ensure children are supervised at all times.

Pets

Pets are not allowed on Martin Ward, with the exception of Guide Dogs.

Food and drink

Drinks and snacks are available from the vending machine in the Minor Injuries and Illness Unit (MIU) waiting area.

Patients on Martin Ward are provided with 3 meals a day, and snacks are supplied as required. However, if you do wish to bring additional food for patients, please check and agree this with the nurse in charge.

Flowers

Friends and family are welcome to bring flowers to patients on Martin Ward, although please be aware of any allergies the recipient may have. If you would like to send flowers to a patient, please include the name of the patient.

Smoking

Smoke Free Policy

As of 1 April 2021 smoking will no longer be permitted anywhere on the grounds of any Isle of Man Hospital. 

For further information, advice regarding temporary abstinence from smoking whilst on hospital premises or Specialist advice regarding quitting smoking please contact the Quit4You service by calling +44 1624 642404 or email quit4you@gov.im

We encourage no smoking. The Hospital is a no smoking building, however there are designated smoking areas. Please ask staff for directions.

Fire Alarms

Hospital fire alarms are tested every Tuesday morning, but if the fire alarm sounds at any other time the evacuation procedure begins. Please follow the directions of our fully trained staff.