What to know when you visit Alder Hey
This page provides you with information on our visiting guidance for all Alder Hey sites. Our visiting guidance is in place to protect children and young people, families, and our staff.
Anyone showing any signs or symptoms of communicable diseases such as a cough, fever, vomiting or diarrhoea, should not visit the hospital.
Mask wearing guidance
Visitors in our public spaces, outpatients and community sites will not need to wear a facemask.
All patients, visitors and staff must wear a mask on our wards, in our Emergency Department or in any other clinical setting. If you do not have your own mask, you can collect one at the entrance to any of these areas. There are some exemptions to mask-wearing such as:
- Children under three years of age
- Children or adults with breathing difficulties
- Altered mental status unable to remove masks without assistance
Surgical masks and face coverings can be removed in private rooms but should be worn by visitors when healthcare personnel are in the room. All visitors are advised to perform hand hygiene upon entering an Alder Hey site and when entering or leaving a bed space.
Visiting guidance for inpatients
If you’re coming to Alder Hey as an inpatient (staying one night or longer), there are certain guidelines you must follow. These are:
- Completing a screening questionnaire on arrival for signs and symptoms of diseases such as a cough, fever, vomiting or diarrhoea
- If you show signs and symptoms of these diseases, you may be asked to leave. If you are the only caregiver, you will be asked to isolate with your child and follow the hygiene and isolating instructions provided to you
- Two parents/carers can stay with their child in any inpatient ward. Two siblings may also be permitted; however, this must be agreed by the ward manager.
- Visitors will be asked to avoid mixing with other families
- Parents/carers may visit their child as per open visiting (24 hours a day)
Visiting guidance for outpatients
When visiting as an outpatient (for an appointment or our Emergency Department), the guidance is as follows:
- Two adults may attend with a child to an appointment.
- However, anyone showing signs and symptoms of a communicable disease such as a cough, fever, vomiting or diarrhoea should not attend. This includes if either parent has tested positive for Covid-19.
- If you test positive for Covid-19, but your child is negative/asymptomatic, they can still attend. We would advise another family member bring them to Alder Hey.
- If this is not possible, we would ask that any positive/symptomatic family member accompanying a child wear a facemask while in the hospital at all times.
- When visiting our Emergency Department (A&E), only one parent/carer should accompany a child in the waiting area. During the clinical consultation, both parents/carers can accompany their child.
There are some exceptions to the above, such as:
- When one or both parents/carers have a carer accompanying them. In this case, all parents and additional carers are permitted to attend
- When a child’s complex needs require more people present for their visit to be carried out safely
- Families travelling great distances to attend appointments, who will get support to ensure appointments can go ahead
Visiting our Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Before visiting ICU, visitors should:
- Contact ICU to discuss appropriate arrangements
- Be aware of the advice about social distancing, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and handwashing on the unit
Generally, both parents/carers will be allowed to visit the patient’s bedside together. In certain circumstances, the consultant and ward manager may agree to certain visiting exceptions e.g. end of life care, high-risk clinical procedures etc. Visiting times may be staggered to accommodate visiting for all patients.
Two additional nominated adults may visit instead of parents/carers, to ensure that parents/carers can rest. Siblings not displaying any signs or symptoms of infectious diseases will also be allowed in the unit.