Visitor Guidelines

Visitor Guidelines for Royal Berkshire Hospital - these are general guidelines, for specific information for departments and wards please check our ward directory. 

• General visiting between 2pm and 8pm daily.
• Open visiting for care partners and relatives supporting patients with enhanced needs, those requiring physical or emotional support during their stay in hospital and those at the end of their life.
• Only two visitors per patient at a time.
• You can choose whether or not to wear a face mask while visiting our Trust, unless you’re asked to wear a mask by our nursing staff, or if you’re visiting the following areas:
  • Berkshire Cancer Centre
  • Adelaide Ward
  • King Edward Ward
  • Victoria Ward
• Do not visit if you are feeling unwell or have any symptoms of Covid, colds, flu and other respiratory infections or vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Maintain good hand hygiene before and after visiting.
• Respect the privacy of our patients, visitors and staff members by not filming or photographing them without their consent.
• If you need support or advice, please contact the PALS Team, Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm. Telephone 0118 322 8338. The Hospital Palliative Care Team or Spiritual Healthcare Team are also available – please ask for their contact details.
• Friends and relatives can also stay in touch with patients by smart device/mobile. There are iPads on the wards so you can safely communicate via video/social media.
• Please speak to the ward manager or nurse in charge for further information.
• View our visitors' charter.

Maternity Information

What to expect when supporting a woman during induction of labour, labour, elective (planned) Caesarean section, and on the antenatal and postnatal wards.

• Lateral Flow Tests are not required before attending; however, if you are able to access and perform a test, we strongly recommend this to help keep families and staff safe.
• Only one supporter can accompany a woman either in Antenatal Clinic, Ultrasound Department, Day Assessment Unit or for a Caesarean section.
• Two birth supporters can attend during labour on Delivery Suite or the Rushey Birth Centre. If your birth supporter has Covid when you are in labour or attending your baby’s birth, please consider if there is another person you could ask to attend instead (as we would request if they developed Norovirus or another infectious illness).
  If this is not possible, a Covid-positive birth partner MUST wear an FFP3 mask at all times during the birth – we will provide these. They will also need to remain entirely in the private birth room. In order to keep other women and babies safe, Covid-positive people will not be able to attend the Level 4 wards (antenatal or postnatal).
• If a woman has Covid during labour or attending for baby’s birth, her birth partner can still attend and should wear an FFP3 mask.
• Please bring all necessary belongings with you into hospital for mother and baby to avoid unnecessary trips into hospital for the birth supporter.
• Supporters must use hand sanitiser. Please wash your hands with soap and water regularly during your stay.
• There are still some visiting restrictions on the Level 4 wards. On the Level 4 wards (antenatal or postnatal wards), one single named supporter can be with the woman from 8.30am to 8.30pm. A second additional supporter can visit between 4pm and 6pm. Siblings are welcome to attend but must be supervised at all times please.
• If the supporter is Covid-positive, they will NOT be able to visit the ward.
  • All supporters must use hand gel.
  • If a supporter has tested negative for Covid but is showing symptoms (www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/main-symptoms/) we will provide an FFP3 mask to wear while on the wards.
  • Staff reserve the right to ask supporters to leave if they are unable to comply with the above.
• You will notice masks are worn less by our staff, who continue to test themselves regularly for Covid. For certain clinical procedures they will continue wearing masks, and may also continue to do so out of personal choice. We ask for your understanding and support as we make this transition.
• During clinical procedures the healthcare staff will be wearing protective equipment, such as face masks, aprons, gloves and visors. Please work with the healthcare staff to maintain social distancing, whenever possible.
• Masks are no longer routinely required by patients, partners or visitors at the Royal Berks, unless they have Covid or Covid Symptoms.
• When maternity appointments with our RBH team take place externally, in GP surgeries or Children's centres, you will need to follow the mask wearing guidance of these individual organisations.
• Please speak to the midwife in charge for further information.