Press release – issued 29 December 2022
2022/026

Patients and visitors urged to wear a face mask and visitors not to attend hospital if feeling unwell 

Patients and visitors to Wye Valley NHS Trust’s hospitals and clinics are being urged to wear a face mask, as inpatient flu cases rise to high levels not seen before in Herefordshire.  

With an increasing number of children and adults admitted to Hereford County Hospital in the last few weeks with flu, and other respiratory viruses including Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the Trust is also calling on visitors not to attend hospital if they fell unwell.  

Lucy Flanagan, chief nursing officer at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “We are seeing high numbers of inpatients in our hospitals with the flu virus, at levels we have not seen previously, and some patients have combined flu and COVID-19/RSV respiratory viruses. We have a duty of care to our patients and it is important that patients and visitors to our hospitals/clinics wear a face mask to help protect themselves and other patients from these viruses. Our staff are encouraging patients and visitors to wear a face mask, unless they are medically exempt.   

“We’re also urging visitors not to attend hospital if they feel unwell, have a respiratory virus/symptoms, COVID-19/symptoms, or sickness/diarrhoea (unless 48 hours free of symptoms), in order to help protect patients, particularly the vulnerable patients who are in our care.  

“We’re also calling on the public to consider NHS alternatives including your GP, pharmacist and NHS 111, if it is not a medical emergency, as our Emergency Department is very busy with increased attendances and emergency patient admissions”.

Visitors who feel unwell and/or have flu symptoms, COVID-19/symptoms, or other virus symptoms, should not attend hospital. If you have sickness/diarrhoea do not visit hospital until you are at least 48 hours free of symptoms. 

The Trust wishes to thank patients and visitors for their understanding during this period. 

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 £295 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, or John Burnett, Communication and Engagement Manager, Wye Valley NHS Trust: 01432 372928