New Visiting Arrangements

To maximise the safety of staff and vulnerable patients, Univeristy Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS trust have made some changes on how they work, and are asking the public to respect the following:

• Visits to all adult inpatient wards at Derriford Hospital are suspended
• Single birthing partner will be able to stay during your time on central delivery suite. If a transfer to the ward area is required, your birthing partner will be asked to leave (after prolonged skin to skin and the first feed)
• Only one parent or guardian on children’s wards

No children or young people under the age of 16 should visit. Exceptions will be made on compassionate grounds, including visits to those who are at end of life. These visits will need to be pre-arranged with the nurse in charge. Exceptions may be made for relatives collecting patients who have been discharged.

UHP have apologised for any inconvenience causes, but thank you for your understanding in these unusual times.

To try to connect patients with family and friends, UHP introduced a “Send your loved one a message” scheme, which Luke has supported. It will mean a lot to patients and brighten up their days with messages from friends and family.

Attending the Emergency Department

As part of coronavirus precautions, you will be greeted at the main desk by a nurse. You will be asked some basic screening questions and your temperature will be checked.

If this is all clear, you will be booked into the Emergency Department as normal.

If you exhibit symptoms, you will be given a mask and booked in before being directed to the dedicated assessment clinic.

Derriford’s Minor Injury Department has moved to Nuffield. You can read more information here.

Outpatients appointment and service changes

All non-urgent outpatient appointments are being switched to telephone or another non face-to-face method, e.g. online video consultation, or they will be postponed.

UHP are contacting patients to rearrange or postpone appointments. However, please continue to attend appointments unless you are notified otherwise. Some clinics have been moved off the main hospital site to for example, Home Park or Nuffield. Patients are being notified if their appointment has moved by phone call. If you cannot attend because you are self-isolating or do not want to attend, please inform the hospital.

For information on each service’s changes, visit ‘Changes to service‘ page.

If you have a video consultation appointment, you can read more about the system here.

Dropping off patient property during suspended visiting

If you are dropping off property for an inpatient, there is a new arrangement in place to help manage footfall to the wards.

Instead of taking it directly to the ward, please drop any bags or items to the Parking Desk between 10:00 and 16:00 each day.

The Parking Desk is located immediately on your left as you enter the main entrance of Derriford Hospital.

The team will place items into a secure locker to keep them safe until they are collected by a member of staff from the ward, who will deliver them to the patient.

Please ensure that any items that you bring are inside a bag which is clearly labelled with the patient’s full name and ward. As usual, please try to avoid bringing valuables or large sums of money into hospital.

Donating goods or services to COVID-19 response

UHP is extremely grateful for the generosity the local community has shown, but they also have a responsibility to ensure the safety of patients and staff. As a result, UHP is limiting the number of donations they can accept. Please read the notice about donations here.