Christmas visiting arrangements at Lincolnshire’s community hospitals

The county’s four community hospitals, provided by Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) NHS Trust, remain open for patient visiting throughout Christmas and the New Year.

To help reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus to vulnerable patients, all visitors must make an appointment. Visitors are also limited to one per patient to support social distancing on wards.

All families are encouraged to use the trust’s innovative ‘contact your loved ones service’, to share messages, emails and photos virtually, minimising the risk of spreading the virus.

To use the ‘contact your loved ones’ service, please email lhnt.ContactYourLovedOne-LCHS@nhs.net including the patient’s full name (with middle initial if applicable), their postcode, year of birth and the name of the ward where they are staying, along with the message or letter you would like them to receive.

The ‘contact your loved ones’ service is in addition to existing methods of keeping in touch, including telephone calls and postal letters.

To make a face-to-face appointment, families and friends should contact the ward clerk at the relevant community hospital:

• County Hospital, Louth – please call Archer Ward on 01507 600 100 ext 1345 or 1311

• John Coupland Hospital, Gainsborough – please call 01427 816500

• Johnson Community Hospital, Spalding – please call 01775 652 000 and ask for the Welland Ward clerk

• Skegness Hospital – please call 01754 762401 and ask for the Gloucester Ward or Scarbrough Ward clerk.

To help minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus, all visitors are reminded to:

• wash their hands on arrival to the hospital entrance using hand sanitiser provided

• follow all temporary floor markings to safely guide them around the hospital site

• remain behind any screens to protect patients and visitors

• follow social distancing guidelines to maintain at least 2 metres between them and patients, visitors and nursing staff

• remove their face covering on leaving the hospital and dispose of it safely using the bins provided.

 Please remember that due to the challenging nature of the coronavirus and levels of infection in the community, visiting arrangements may be subject to unexpected, last minute changes.

Full details about patient visiting are available on the LCHS website at https://lincolnshirecommunityhealthservices.nhs.uk/

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust provides local community based health care services across the county to help people live independently at home including urgent care, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language services, community nursing, school age immunisations and children’s therapy services. The Trust also provides services at four community hospitals.