Published on: Saturday 17 Apr 2021 at 15:56
Living with Covid-19 an update – Friday 8th April 2022
In line with other healthcare providers in England, NHS guidance for visitors to hospices continue to require visitors to adhere to protective measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in order to protect our vulnerable patients and staff.
Please ensure that you are aware of our current guidance before making your visit to the Hospice.
Whilst visiting the Hospice…
Face coverings: A face covering must be worn on entry to the Hospice and for the duration of your visit – unless you are exempt.
Hand sanitisation: Please ensure you use the hand sanitiser gel provided at Reception and around the Hospice, and regularly wash your hands with soap and water. You must adhere to strict hand-washing when entering the building, if you are visiting a loved one on our Inpatient Unit, upon leaving the Hospice, and when you get home. We also advise that you use the antibacterial wipes, provided at Reception, to cleanse your mobile phone before entering.
Inpatient Unit Visiting Policy
We know how important visiting is to patients and their families. In addition to our overarching guidance on visiting the Hospice, please see below information on safely making a visit to our Inpatient Unit. Our Inpatient Unit visiting policy is in place to keep our very vulnerable patients safe at all times, with your cooperation and support.
Entering the Inpatient Unit: Once you have signed in at the Reception, we ask you to enter the Inpatient Unit by the main corridor behind Reception.
What to do if you want to visit the Inpatient Unit and you have Covid-19 or are displaying symptoms: If you have tested positive for Covid-19 or have symptoms of Covid please call the 24 Hour Advice Line on 01279 773773 to enable us arrange for you to visit your loved one. Please do not visit without calling in advance. This number is staffed 24 hours a day.
Children or pets visiting: If children under the age of 11, or pets, wish to visit, then please discuss this with the Nurse in charge and this will be taken on a case by case basis.
Using facilities on the Inpatient Unit: Whilst we still need to restrict access to communal areas in the Inpatient Unit, visitors are now able to use the Inpatient Unit’s kitchen facilities, although this is restricted to one designated visitor per patient.
Thank you for your co-operation. Please call the Inpatient Unit on 01279 773777 if you have an enquiry.
Visiting a Bereavement Café or Café Clare
- Please wear a face covering and keep it on whilst moving around the hospice. You can take it off if you are sitting down.
- If you feel unwell, please, for the safety of our fellow attendees, staff and volunteers, do not attend. Wait until you feel well again.
Visiting our Shops
We strongly encourage our customers to our shops to wear face coverings, to help protect our staff, volunteers and other customers.
Online support
We have a range of support available to people which can be accessed either online, or by telephone.
This includes our Virtual Bereavement Cafés and Bereavement Café Facebook Group, which connect local, bereaved people in West Essex and East Herts together, to support each other through grief and loss. Please click here to find out more about Bereavement Café here.
We also run a Bereavement Support Helpline which operates from 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. The number to call is 01279 967670. The Helpline offers an opportunity to talk about your loss, whether recent or in the past, with a trained and compassionate member of the St Clare team. It is free to call, though charges may apply in line with your standard network rate. Please click here to find out more about our Bereavement Support Helpline.
Hospice at Home or Community services
If you are under the care of our Hospice at Home Team, or are receiving other hospice services at home, and any of the NHS or government advice applies to you or a family member in your household, please notify us before we visit you.
It is important that our staff are aware of any of the circumstances mentioned in the NHS guidance in advance of a visit. This ensures we are able to tailor our visits to patients’ needs and make them effective and safe. All our healthcare professionals follow standard evidence-based guidance for patients’ care and hygiene, which keeps our patients safe and comfortable and makes good care possible.
Please call the Hospice at Home Team on 01279 773773 if you have an enquiry.
For the latest information and guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- For the latest information and updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the official government website.
- Symptoms to look out for
- How to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus
- How to check if you need medical help
- Up to date travel advice