Public reminded that visiting still not allowed at Galway hospitals

The public have been reminded that visiting is still not permitted at UHG or Merlin Park University Hospital – except in exceptional circumstances.

People are being asked not to visit parents in hospital other than end-of-life situations, a spokesperson for Galway University Hospitals said.

This must be agreed with the relevant ward manager before visiting, and families should telephone the hospital to request to speak to the manager of the ward where their family member is.

They will then decide if a visit can be arranged without compromising the welfare of other patients on the ward.

The Galway hospitals have said that children in particular should not visit patients in hospital.

“We also want to remind parents of paediatric patients that only one parent can remain with their child at any time.

“This is to minimise the risk of infection among our paediatric patients and staff. It is also important that patients who are attending appointments should attend on their own other than in circumstances where patients need the support or assistance of a family member or a carer. 

“We appreciate how difficult it is for our patients and their families not to be able to visit, but it is a very important infection control measure which helps us protect our patients and our staff,” a spokesperson said. 

All of the hospitals in the Saolta Group have similar arrangements in place. A spokesperson for the Saolta Group added: “We recognise that the visiting restrictions may be challenging for patients and their families, however, our priority must be to protect the patients in our hospitals who are vulnerable to infection.

“We would like to thank members of the public for their co-operation.”