Visiting hours restricted

NEW restricted visiting times are being applied at Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) from tomorrow, following a review of hospital arrangements.

Management at the hospital have now specified official visiting times of 2pm — 4pm and 6.30pm — 8.30pm and full details of patient and visitor facilities are available in a leaflet being launched tomorrow.

The arrangement is in keeping with the Health Service Executive’s recently published national Guidelines on Visiting Hours in hospitals, whose stated aims are to protect patients, their families, friends and hospital staff. The guidelines also cite a need for privacy and a requirement to minimise the potential for the spread of infection — all of which means that continuous visiting hours are seen as not being in patients’ interests.