Visitor Guidelines
December 2025
Respiratory illnesses are rising across our community, and we are seeing this in our hospitals.
To protect our vulnerable patients and staff, visitors in high-risk patient-facing areas will be required to wear face masks.
These areas include:
- Emergency Department (Adult & Paediatric)
- Acute Medical Unit (AMU)
- Surgical Assessment Unit, Maternity Assessment Unit, Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) / Paediatric Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)
- Eye Casualty
- Medical Assessment Unit
- Clinical areas that care for high-risk patients such as renal, oncology & haematology
To ensure that those who are vulnerable to infections are kept safe, we are advising that you do not visit our hospital if you:
- feel unwell with a cough, cold or flu-like symptoms
- have had diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 48 hours
If you are unsure, please do speak to a member of staff on the ward or department. Face masks and hand-washing facilities are available across the Trust.
Visitor Guidelines for Royal Berkshire Hospital - these are general guidelines, for specific information for departments and wards please check our ward directory.
- OPEN VISITING for carers, 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.
- General visitors between 2pm and 8pm daily.
- Only TWO VISITORS per patient at a time please.
- 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 Patient Advice and Liaison 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.
- If you're concerned about a patient's condition, and you've already spoken to the ward nurse or doctor, please use Call 4 Concern, our patient safety service.
- 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 if you have any questions.
- 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.
- 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.
Level 4
- On the Level 4 wards (antenatal or postnatal wards), Two birth supporters can be with the woman from 8.30am to 8.30pm. A second additional supporter can visit between 4pm and 8.30pm. Siblings are welcome to attend but must be supervised at all times please.
- We have family bays available for one birth supporter to stay overnight to support.
- One Birth supporter can stay overnight during induction of labour
- Please use hand sanitizer on entry and exit of the ward. Please wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling a newborn baby
- If any birth supporter is Covid-positive, feels unwell, has Diarrhoea or vomiting we would ask they NOT visit the ward.
- Masks are no longer routinely required by patients, partners or visitors at the Royal Berks, unless they have Covid or Covid Symptoms.(Or in the case of a flu/covid outbreak)
- Please speak to the midwife in charge for further information.