Open visiting hours and Visitors’ Charter set to launch

A reduction in patient anxiety and stress, improved communication between staff and visitors, and increased emotional and physical support for patients are just some of the benefits Oxford University Hospitals hopes to gain with the launch of Open Visiting on Monday 1 October 2018.

The new visiting hours at the Trust's hospitals will be from 10.00am until 10.00pm, except for critical care and high dependency units.

This is because these departments have comparatively limited space and offer more acute care.  

Earlier in 2018, the Trust carried out a survey of both members of the public and staff on the prospect of open visiting hours. More than 500 people took part, and the feedback helped form a new 'Visitors' Charter' which will also launch on Monday 1 October.

This document outlines what visitors can expect from staff, and what will be expected of them when visiting our hospitals. Following a successful trial of open visiting hours during the summer, the Trust is now looking forward to implementing them.

Sam Foster, Chief Nurse at the Trust, said: "One of our Trust values is delivering compassionate excellence, and we think that open visiting hours will really help us to put that in place.

"Up until recently, visiting hours varied from ward to ward, and this could sometimes be confusing or inconvenient for families visiting the hospital - especially when they need to park during peak times.

"By opening up these times, it makes things easier for visitors and also means that they can give more emotional support and assistance to their loved ones. Here at the Trust, we recognise the important role that relatives, loved ones, friends and carers play in supporting patients in their recovery, and open visiting hours support that.

"It benefits our staff, too - open visiting hours will improve communication between staff and visitors, and visitors will be able to better tell us what they think about the care their loved one is receiving.

"Patient care and wellbeing is paramount in all that we do, and visitor access will always be determined by whether the patient is well enough to have company. Wherever possible, however, we will look to make things as easy and as open for visitors as possible."

The Trust's move to change visiting hours is timely - in January, the Chief Nursing Officer for England said that as the NHS entered its 70th year it was an opportunity to review hospital visiting restrictions, and was backed by a powerful national campaign.

John's Campaign was founded by Nicci Gerrard and Julia Jones, after the publication of Nicci's article about the death of her father Dr John Gerrard in 2014. The campaign asks wards, hospital trusts, care homes and the ambulance services to pledge their welcome to carers.

Oxford University Hospitals Visitors' Charter (pdf, 56 KB)

Pictured: Chief Nurse Sam Foster.