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Visitors play an important part in the healing process.
The health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff remains a top priority at Mater Private Network. With this in mind, we have revised our policy for visitors to the hospital. We will continue to monitor the situation in the community and adapt as necessary. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
The Infection Prevention and Control team at Mater Private Network aims to reduce the risk of infections including COVID-19 transmission among staff and patients in all departments in the hospital or off site.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases in the community remains high; therefore, we all must be vigilant and compliant with the infection prevention and control protocols put in place to reduce these risks. To date, we have managed to combat COVID-19 and all other infections through a multi-factorial approach including rigorous screening of patients and limiting access only to essential service providers and patient visitors. All visitors must be screened at the department level using COVID-19 screening questionnaire.
All visitors to Mater Private Network must adhere to directions on essential infection prevention and control practices including maintaining social distance (in so far as appropriate to their purpose), mask use, respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.
Mask wearing guidelines
Patients and visitors are no longer required to wear a mask/face covering. However, if you prefer to wear a mask, you may do so.
If you are attending our facilities with respiratory symptoms, you must wear a standard surgical mask all the time. if you can tolerate an FFP2 mask, it will be offered to you.
- A risk assessment should take account of the overall care needs, rights and wishes of patients, the risk of severe COVID-19 for that patient, and the current incidence of COVID-19 in the surrounding community, to manage risks associated with visiting.
- The ward Clinical Nurse Manager(s) must be informed in advance if visitors are expected.
- All visitors must be screened by relevant department staff every time they come to visit.
- All visitors must adhere at all times to the Mater Private Network infection prevention and control policies.
- Visitors should not interact socially with other visitors, or with patients other than the person they have come to visit.
- Visits should generally occur away from mealtimes.
- Visits should only occur in the bed space of the patient they have come to visit.
- Social visits: unfortunately, in light of the increasing cases of viral respiratory illness in the community including COVID-19, we cannot accommodate social visits at this time. Thank you for your understanding.
- Critical circumstances or compassionate grounds*: two visitors are allowed at a time with no limit on duration or frequency of visits.
- Routine visit/patient’s request in the absence of critical circumstances or compassionate grounds: one visitor is allowed and can have three routine visits per week.
- Accompanying person (parent/guardian/carer) in children’s services: one accompanying person should be supported to be with a child during their hospital admission or other hospital attendance. Parents/guardians/carers may rotate the role of accompanying person if necessary.
*Critical and compassionate circumstances:
- Circumstances in which end of life is imminent.
- Circumstances in which a patient is significantly distressed or disturbed and although unable to express the desire for a visit, there is reason to believe that a visit from a significant person may relieve distress.
- Other circumstances in which the judgement of the medical or nursing staff, registered health or social care professional, spiritual advisor or advocate acting for that the patient, is that a visit is important for the person’s health or sense of well-being.
Dublin
Monday - Sunday | 2.30pm - 3.30pm & 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Cork
Monday - Sunday | 2pm - 4.30pm & 6pm - 9pm
One person (a family member or a next of kin) can accompany patients to outpatients appointment.
Hand Hygiene
We ask you to pay particular attention to our infection control advice when planning to visit our hospital. Hand hygiene is a hugely important factor in preventing and controlling the spread of infections. Please use the hand gels throughout the hospital before and after you come in contact with any patients.
Infection Control
- If you have any infection, we would ask that you do not visit, particularly if you have flu, any vomiting or diarrhoea.
- If you are ill (i.e. vomiting or diarrhoea) in any toilet in the hospital, please notify a member of staff so that the area can be disinfected. Even if it appears clean, disinfection will still be required.
- Toilets in patient rooms are for PATIENT USE ONLY. There are toilets throughout the hospital and on every ward.
Flowers and Plants
Please note that flowers and plants are no longer permitted in any part of Mater Private Network’s hospital facilities due to infection control requirements. Bacteria can be carried in soil, water or even in the dust collected on plants and flowers.
If you are a visitor to the hospital, we would ask you to consider the following:
- Please use hand hygiene facilities on entering and leaving the hospital
- Do not visit the hospital if you have had diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 3 days
- Do not visit if you feel unwell or if you think you may be an infection risk to others
- Do not visit if you have taken alcohol or drugs
- Please comply with visiting hours
- Ensure children are supervised at all times
- Do not bring infants to visit patients
- Do not sit or lie on patient’s bed
- Do not access un-authorised areas
- Have consideration for other patients' needs
- Nominate a family member as the main point of contact for sharing information regarding patient’s condition to other family members and friends.
Smoking
Our hospitals are non-smoking facilities. We ask you to respect non-smoking patients by remembering not to smoke under windows.