MORE FLEXIBLE visiting hours are to be piloted at hospital wards across Scotland, Health Secretary Alex Neil has announced.
Tayside and Fife are included in the five health boards to sign up to the scheme, which is designed to help family and friends see patients at times convenient to them.
The initiative is the first in a series of programmes to be implemented as part of Mr Neil’s plans to make the NHS more “user-friendly”.
It is based on feedback received as part of Mr Neil’s “back to the floor” visits to hospitals across Scotland, and aims to give patients what they want from their NHS.
Five wards at Ninewells Hospital, which the Health Secretary visited to announce the plans, are to trial extended visiting hours of 11am to 8pm from the current 3-8pm.
Mr Neil said: “By making visiting hours fit better with modern-day working patterns, it will be easier for family and friends to visit patients, which in many cases will help to speed up recovery, as support from family and friends is a crucial part of the healing process.
“It will also take some of the pressure off staff, as visitors will be spread out more throughout the day, rather than being restricted to a couple of hours.”
NHS Tayside Nurse Director, Dr Margaret McGuire, said: “NHS Tayside is committed to providing quality person-centred care.
“Central to this is involving patients, carers and families and responding to issues they raise in a meaningful way.
“This is why we are testing a more flexible approach to visiting and our test will take account of patient, visitor and staff feedback.”
Each of the five health boards involved Tayside, Fife, Forth Valley, Dumfries and Galloway and Golden Jubilee National Hospital will specify their own individual arrangements.
The move was welcomed by the Scottish Patients Association, Royal College of Nursing Scotland, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland.
SPA chief executive Jean Turner said: “This is not only beneficial to patient care but also recognises the stress and financial implications which can be created for families and carers who may have to travel considerable distances, often by public transport.”
RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe said: “There are real benefits for patients, if that is what both they and their family want, so we support the announcement today that flexible visiting times are being piloted in a number of hospital wards.”
Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland chief executive Ian Welsh said the policy was an “excellent example of putting people at the centre of services” while Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, expressed the charity’s full support for the initiative.
kiandrews@thecourier.co.uk