Further relaxation on mask wearing

We’re pleased to be able to update our guidance for visitors on the wearing of facemasks and face coverings in our hospitals, following the latest national guidelines.

Masks are now no longer required in ‘public’ areas in our hospitals, including entrances, waiting areas, corridors and restaurants. Staff, outpatients and visitors who choose to continue to wear masks (or due to a risk assessment) should still do so, and we will keep providing masks at our entrances for this purpose.

If you have an outpatient appointment or are visiting a ward, please take a mask from here to put on in these areas if you do not already have one.

Mask wearing currently remains in place in all inpatient (ward) areas, as well as in clinic rooms and in our urgent and emergency care settings, eg our emergency departments, urgent treatment centres and same day emergency care (SDEC) facilities. We hope to update this guidance shortly.

Masks will continue to be required for patients with suspected Covid-19, where they are tolerated and clinically safe to wear.

We ask everyone to continue to follow good hand hygiene practices, including the regular use of hand gel, and to stay away from our hospitals if any symptoms of Covid-19 are present.

We would also like to place on record our thanks to the communities we serve for their support in wearing masks when in our hospitals over the last two years to directly support us in providing the safest care possible to all our patients.