Covid-19 (coronavirus): information for patients and visitors

Getting help with non-Covid medical issues

If you want to find out the best place to go to get help with anything unrelated to Covid-19, this link has some great advice for Sefton residents and check here if you live in West Lancashire.

Hospital visiting

Visiting is restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Families and friends of patients should not visit hospital other than by arrangement. Visits will be permitted in exceptional circumstances on an individual basis which will be agreed with the nurse in charge of the ward. Separate arrangements will apply to the following areas:

• Maternity and women in labour – one birthing partner per patient
• Child inpatients – one carer per child
• Women attending their 20-week scan from 1 September 2020 may bring one adult with them
• Women experiencing pregnancy loss
• One carer supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism, acquired brain injury or other similar complex conditions such as a stroke where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed. Each patient should be assessed as to whether or not receiving a visitor would be beneficial to their wellbeing and this needs to be agreed with the ward manager
• A maximum of two visitors for patients at the end of their life
• North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre. Visiting is between 3pm and 7pm Monday to Friday and midday to 7pm at weekends unless agreed in exceptional circumstances by a senior sister. Visitors should call Sheila Haslam directly on 01704 704743

If you are patient with special needs (e.g. you have a visual impairment), please call the ward for advice and guidance.

In the event you need to come on to hospital premises, you must wear a face-covering. Please bring your own if you can but they are available at the entrances.

Visitors should not enter our hospitals if they have any Covid-19 symptoms:

• Fever / high temperature
• New continuous cough
• Loss / change of sense of taste or smell
• Shortness of breath

Every visitor will need to log their attendance on the ward with name, contact details and who they are visiting in case we need to inform them of any risk following their visit.

For a summary of ward telephone numbers, please go either the Southport or Ormskirk hospital pages.

Should I attend my hospital appointment?

We are working hard to keep patients and staff safe while the NHS deals with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Appointments

We understand that you may be concerned about attending your appointment, due to the recent increased Covid-19 restrictions.  We are not cancelling any treatments or appointments due to these changes, please continue to attend as usual.

Where appropriate, your doctor may offer an alternative to an in-person, face-to-face outpatient appointment such as a telephone or video consultation. It is recommended that if you are offered these, and have the ability and technology, then that is preferable to a face-to-face appointment.

There is more information here.

I think I might have a Covid-19 (coronavirus) infection

If you have any of the main symptoms of  Covid-19, get a test as soon as possible. Stay at home until you get the result. The main symptoms are:

• A high temperature
• A new continuous cough
•  A loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)​

More useful information

• Information for deaf and hard of hearing
• Information for people with learning disabilities
• Guides on social distancing in alternative languages
• Covid-19 guidance in alternative languages
• Guidance for people living with cancer

If you are concerned about Covid-19, there is lots of official information online from the NHS and Public Health England:

• • NHS 111
  • NHS website
  • Public Health England
  • World Health Organisation