Press release – 24 May 2019
2019/024 

Hospital ward due to re-open this evening, Friday 24 May  

Redbrook Ward at Hereford County Hospital is due to re-open to visitors this evening at 6.30pm, Friday 24 May. 

The ward has been closed since the beginning of this week following confirmed cases of Norovirus, which had been brought onto the ward by a visitor.  

Alison Johnson, consultant microbiologist at Hereford County Hospital, said:  “It still remains very important that relatives, carers or anyone with diarrhoea and/or vomiting do not visit the wards or any areas of our hospitals until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours, in order to help prevent Norovirus outbreaks in our hospitals.  

“Visitors to all areas of the hospital are requested to practice good hand hygiene and use the alcohol gels available in all wards/departments in order to prevent any further spread of infection”. 

Wye Valley NHS Trust thanks all patients and visitors for their understanding during this period – the restrictions were put in place to protect patients as part of the Trust’s zero tolerance approach to healthcare associated infections.

Ends

Notes to Editors WVT:

• Wye Valley NHS Trust is a provider of health services across Herefordshire and beyond. The Trust exists to improve the wellbeing, independence and health of the people we serve.
• By working closely with our partners, we can make good our promise to deliver a quality of care we would want for ourselves, our families and our friends.
• With an estimated annual turnover of around £185 million, we employ around 3,000 staff. We aim to build new relationships between our staff, patients, service users and their carers with the wider community.

For further information please contact:

Fiona Gurney, communications officer, 01432 355444 ext 5105 or John Burnett, Communication and Engagement Manager, Wye Valley NHS Trust: 01432 372928