Visiting times

Current visiting arrangements at Medway Maritime Hospital.

IMPORTANT – No visiting is allowed if possible symptoms for COVID-19 are displayed by the visitor. COVID-19 symptoms in adults can be seen here; COVID-19 symptoms in children can be seen here.

The visiting rules below apply for all wards. Please note, visiting may be temporarily suspended if there is an outbreak of infection or if the level of COVID-19 infections increases in the community. Should you need to contact a ward a list of ward phone numbers can be found here.

  • Two visitors are allowed at the bedside at any one time, if space permits on the ward.Visiting times are between 1pm and 8pm Monday to Sunday. Please note we operate protected meal times on all wards from 12pm to 1pm (lunchtime) and from 5pm to 6pm (dinner time) each day. If an inpatient needs support with eating at lunchtime then you are welcome from 12pm. Visitors who are on the ward during dinner time are welcome to stay with the inpatient and are encouraged to support them with eating if necessary. We politely ask that conversations with the patient are kept to a minimum, where possible, during this time so they can enjoy their meal as it not only supports their nutritional status, but also helps to improve their wellbeing and recovery during their stay with us.
  • Children are welcome to visit as long as they are accompanied by an adult. They do not count as one of the visitors.

Exceptions to the above visiting rules are as follows:

  • Paediatric wards (Dolphin / Panda/ Penguin): One parent / carer is able to reside with the child and they can swap at any time. Parents / carers / siblings can visit from 8am to 8pm and wider family members may visit from 1pm to 6pm. There should be a maximum of two people at the bed / cot side at any one time.
  • Seahorse: In general, only one parent / carer is permitted to stay with the child however in exceptional circumstances, another adult could be allowed for support. This must be discussed and agreed with the nurse in charge.
  • SAU waiting room: Due to the space in this area we request that patients are accompanied by only one visitor.
  • Outpatients: Patients may be accompanied within the outpatient setting. 
  • Maternity and antenatal care: Our maternity services have separate guidelines for people who are giving birth, their birth partners and their visitors. You can find them on the maternity services pages here.
  • Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit (NICU): Both parents / carers and siblings are permitted to stay with their baby / babies at any time. Parents / carers are partners in care and are not viewed at visitors. Other family members will be permitted to visit at any time as long as a parent / carer is present. There should only be a maximum of two people at the cotside at any one time. NICU will continue to monitor number of parents within the bay and at times to maintain safety may ask some parents to step out for a period of time.
  • Visiting patients who are dying: We want to do as much as we can to allow families to spend as much time as they need to with patients who are at the end of their lives. Please speak to the ward manager to discuss how we can support your visits in these circumstances.

Staying in touch if you are unable to visit

To help keep everyone safe, we have facilitated other ways of keeping in touch with patients such as telephone calls and video messaging. The Trust has a dedicated email address that can be accessed to email your inpatients: medwayft.patientexperience@nhs.net

Keeping our patients, visitors and staff safe

To ensure that we protect our patients, as well as visitors and staff, from the ongoing risks of COVID-19, the following infection prevention and control measures will remain in place for the immediate future. Please continue to observe these measures while you are on our site. These include:

  • Wearing a face mask in the following areas at all times, unless you are exempt:
    • Lawrence Ward.
    • Galton Day Unit.
  • Washing your hands regularly, or using hand gel
  • Not entering the hospital if you have COVID-19 symptoms, unless you require urgent medical care.

Please do not bring lateral flow tests in to the hospital to test your loved ones; if you are concerned that a current inpatient has COVID-19, please inform a member of staff.