RESTRICTIONS ON HOSPITAL visitors are still in place across the country, with some hospitals only allowing one visitor per patient or refusing to admit children.

A majority of hospitals still have some kind of restrictions on visiting, with measures in place as part of efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19 within healthcare settings.

According to the latest Health Protection Surveillance Centre epidemiological report, there were 1,986 cases of Covid-19 confirmed between 23 and 29 October.

There were also 424 people in hospital with a case of Covid-19 and two people in ICU.

During the initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic, restrictions on visitors entering hospitals were brought in to prevent the spread of the virus to both healthcare staff and patients.

Last week also saw the reintroduction of more stringent visiting restrictions in Mercy University Hospital in Co Cork, due to “an increase in the number of patients with Covid-19” in the hospital.

It comes as the HSE prepares for a difficult winter, with significant pressures on Emergency Departments, particularly due to high attendances by older people with complex healthcare needs.

The HSE’s interim Chief Executive, Stephen Mulvaney told reporters that there are “significant” pressures on services at present, with congestion within Emergency Departments continuing to rise.

Last month, the HSE launched its 2022/2023 Winter Plan, with €169 million in funding being allocated to prepare the health service for the winter months, with some of this funding going to the recruitment of 608 new staff members.

Currently, imposing restrictions on visitors is down to the hospital or individual healthcare group based on their own risk assessment.

Most hospitals around the state currently allow just one visitor to attend, with variances on whether this is one-at-a-time or one visitor per day.

There are also requirements for visitors to wear a surgical mask within the hospital.

Some are also requiring visitors to book ahead of time and will not permit people to attend the hospital unannounced.

Multiple hospitals also have specific rules around children visiting, with many requiring agreement in advance that a child will attend.

These hospitals include Beaumont Hospital, St James’s Hospital, the Rotunda Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Galway and Sligo University Hospital.

There are also significant restrictions on visitors to Covid-19 wards, with many hospitals only allowing visits to these wards on compassionate grounds.

One hospital in particular, St Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny, will only allow visitors to access three separate wards in “compassionate and critical” circumstances.

“Visiting restrictions are currently in place at St. Luke’s Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny, for the safety of our patients, staff and community. This is to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” a HSE notice reads.

Maternity hospitals

Visitor restrictions also remain in place at maternity hospitals, which differ depending on the hospital.

At the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, pregnant women attending outpatient services including scans and antenatal services may be joined by their partner or another nominated person.

The woman’s partner will also be permitted to attend during hospital visits during the hospital’s visiting time, and will also be allowed to attend the childbirth.

However, at the Rotunda Maternity Hospital, while a partner can visit for inpatient services, pregnant women are asked to attend outpatient services like scans by themselves.

Extended family members and children are also not permitted to attend the Rotunda.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE said that each hospital will carry out their own individual assessments.

“Each hospital carries out local risk assessment in relation to current IPC (infection prevention and control) issues pertaining to their hospital at that time,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that hospitals needed to “balance the risk of introduction of COVID-19 or other communicable infectious diseases by people accessing the hospital while ensuring that patients who need the support of a partner, a nominated support partner, a member of their family or a friend has reasonable access to that person”.

If limitations on access are considered necessary, this should be based on a risk assessment that is reviewed regularly in view of the prevailing public health circumstances in the population served by the hospital.

The spokesperson added that people with symptoms of Covid-19 or other infectious diseases should not attend acute hospitals, but that rare exceptions may be made on compassionate grounds.

People who attend hospitals are also asked to follow infection prevention measures, including mask wearing, hand hygiene and cough etiquette. 

Details of visiting restrictions for individual hospitals are available here.

Patient welfare

It comes as there are now concerns being raised about patient welfare amid shortages of staff within the HSE.

HSE Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry told reporters on Thursday that he was worried about patient safety, especially with increased congestion within Emergency Departments this winter.

“Of course I’m worried about patient safety and about the impact of congestion in emergency departments, primarily because of the discomfort it causes to patients but also to their welfare and to their outcomes,” Henry said.

He added that it was not safe to have staffing levels low and that the HSE was working to bring in more healthcare professions, particularly emergency department consultants.

Henry said that it was not going to “get better overnight” and that the HSE was competing in an international market for staff.