Soaring Covid rates force Ashfield's King's Mill Hospital to suspend routine visiting to protect the vulnerable

Sherwood Forest Hospitals, which runs the Sutton hospital, announced the move on its Facebook Page, after last week allowing restricted visits to continue.

A statement from the trust says: “Due to the rise in Covid-19 cases within our community we are making the difficult decision to suspend adult in-patient visiting to help protect our vulnerable patients.

"We will continue to have visiting for patients who are end of life, under 18, require a designated carer or have significant needs such as mental health and dementia. Our maternity visiting is also not changing.”

On it’s website, the trust states: “We have not taken this decision lightly and we have been trying to maintain some visiting because we realise how important this is to patients and relatives.

“However the increase in cases does now pose a greater risk of our patients acquiring the virus and we need to act to protect them.

"Covid-19 positive patients are supported to have virtual visiting unless they are end-of-life, where we support safe, limited visiting.

"For maternity appointments we ask that you have one person accompany you if you feel that it is essential, to any of your pregnancy outpatient and scan appointments.

"This includes early pregnancy services and all midwifery and obstetric appointments in outpatient clinic settings. If you wish to bring someone with you, we ask that it is the same person throughout your pregnancy journey, and confirm they are free of any Covid-19 symptoms.”

Maternity visitors must not attend appointments if they have Covid symptoms, or are required to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from abroad, and both parties should take a lateral flow test prior to their hospital visit.

The trust had previously asked people attending A&E and other emergency appointments to come alone, unless they are under-18 or require a carer, and this will remain the same.

The trust states that it will continuously review the situation.

Previously, patients on wards were allowed one designated visitor throughout their stay, prior to the situation changing on January 1.