The Scottish Government have produced hospital visiting guidance to support the safe reintroduction of visitors into hospital settings and NHS boards should familiarise themselves with the content to ensure patient, staff and visitor safety.  Visitors must;

• Not visit if they have suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or if they have been advised to self-isolate for any reason
• Wear a face covering on entering the hospital
• Be provided with appropriate PPE (see table 6)
• Perform hand hygiene at the appropriate times;     
• on entry to the hospital and when leaving the patient’s room/ward.
• Prior to putting on PPE
• After removing PPE
• Observe physical distancing
• Not move around the ward and should stay at the bedside of the person they are visiting.
• Not visit other patients in the hospital
• Not touch their face or face covering/mask once in place
• Not eat whilst visiting
• Avoid sharing mobile phone devices with the patient unnecessarily – if mobile devices are shared to enable communications with other friends and family members, the phone should be cleaned between uses using manufacturer’s instructions

 

Table 9: PPE for Visitors

PPE used	Low-risk pathway (green)	Medium-risk pathway (amber)	High-risk pathway (red)	Unit wide AGP Zone
Gloves	Not required1	Not required1	Not required1	Not required1
Apron or gown	Not required2	Not required2	If within 2 metres of patient	Apron Required
Face mask	Face covering or provide with FRSM if visitor arrives without a face covering	Face covering or provide with FRSM if visitor arrives without a face covering	FRSM	FRSM4
Eye and face protection	Not required3	Not required3	If within 2 metres of patient	Not required3

¹ unless providing direct care to the patient which may expose the visitor to blood and/or body fluids i.e toileting.

² unless providing care to the patient resulting in direct contact with the patient, their environment or blood and/or body fluid exposure i.e toileting, bed bath.

³ Unless providing direct care to the patient and splashing/spraying is anticipated.

⁴ Patients should not receive visitors whilst undergoing an AGP or during the Post AGP fallow time that follows the procedure.  Where a unit has unit wide airborne precautions in place, visitors may be allowed to enter the room but must be informed that there is a higher degree of risk due to the potential exposure to infectious aerosols.  The following additional mitigation measures should be in place;

• Visitor should not enter whilst the individual they are visiting is undergoing an AGP or during the post AGP fallow time.
• Ask visitor to remain 2 metres from all other patients
• Provide the visitor with PPE as described in the table above
• Guide and supervise visitors when donning and doffing PPE and remind them of the appropriate times when hand hygiene should be undertaken.
• Ensure visitors perform hand hygiene on leaving the ward