Patient safety is our number one priority so please familiarise yourself with steps we are taking to ensure everyone at the hospital is safe. Latest updates about visiting and keeping in touch More general information about how the hospital has made changes during the pandemic are available on our Coronavirus information page. The latest updates regarding visiting are listed below. DateTitleDecember 18, 2020Visiting patients at Barnsley HospitalNovember 23, 2020Changes to Maternity visiting rules – PostnatalApril 14, 2020Keeping in touch with loved ones while they are in hospitalApril 13, 2020Guidance for the use of mobile devices by patientsApril 1, 2020Hospital ramps up Emergency Department to protect patients and staffMarch 25, 2020Car Parking – Temporary Access Arrangements We have a few general rules for anyone visiting the hospital. Following these rules helps makes Barnsley Hospital safer for everyone who visits. Wear a face covering To help limit the spread of infection from asymptomatic people, we now ask anyone entering the hospital buildings to wear a face covering. All hospital staff are now required to do the same. Keep apart 2 metres Keeping a physical space between yourself and others help limit the spread of infection. Hand gel To help us prevent the spread of infection, please use the hand hygiene stations when moving between different areas of the hospital, especially when using doors. Children should only use the gel under parental supervision. Keep to the left In corridors and stairways, please stick to the left so people can keep apart as much as practically possible. One visitor per patient Following the recent Covid-19 update we are now limiting visitors to a maximum of 1 per patient. Always speak to a member of staff on the ward if you are unsure. Children Children are currently not allowed to visit the hospital following the Covid-19 update above. Sitting on the bed Please do not sit on a patient’s bed. This could cause cross infection. There are chairs available within the ward areas for you to use. Machinery and equipment Please do not touch any of the machinery or equipment that is around any patient’s bed. This may cause faulty readings and may be detrimental to either the patient or yourself. Telephones and mobile devices Please turn off all mobile devices on entering clinical areas. There are signs up around the hospital where you can switch your telephones back on. Smoking Please note that Barnsley Hospital is a smoke-free site and smoking is not permitted on any part of the hospital grounds. Contact us for information about a patient If you call the ward to ask how your relative is, we must always ask what your relationship to the patient is, as well as ask their permission before we can give out any details on their condition. Because our nurses are busy we ask that where possible for one relative to ring the ward and pass the information to friends and family. Ward and department phone numbers are available on the contact us page. Friends and family can also ring patients direct on their bedside telephone. When you visit, remember to ask what their direct number is. Delivering flowers There are a number of wards within the hospital that cannot accept flowers. We advise all visitors of patients to call the ward you are visiting to check what the policy is to avoid any disappointment.