Visiting us

We are pleased to welcome visitors back to our wards.

Please help us keep everyone as safe as possible:

Always wash or gel your hands when entering and leaving our wards and hospitals
Ensure no more than two visitors are at a patient’s bedside at any one time

Please note some high risk areas may ask visitors to wear a face covering and some visiting restrictions will continue to be required from time to time on wards where two or more patients have COVID-19 to help keep patients and visitors safe.

Visiting times

Visitors are welcome daily at any time between:

2pm to 4.30pm
6pm to 8pm

There’s no need to make an appointment unless you wish to visit a patient in critical care.

Please do not visit if:

You have tested positive for COVID-19
You have respiratory symptoms
You have symptoms of an infectious disease
You have had sickness or diarrhoea in the last 48 hours

Visit the NHS website for more advice on symptoms and testing.

If you are unable to visit why not ask the ward about arranging a virtual visit using one of our ward iPads?

Flexible visiting

More flexible visiting can be arranged when:

Visiting a child or baby
Visiting a patient at the end of their life or when they are critically ill
You are supporting someone with dementia, a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed

These flexible visits can be arranged by calling the hospital ward and asking to speak to the nurse in charge.

Please could all visitors gel their hands upon entering and leaving both the hospital and ward areas.

Do I need to wear a face covering?

To help us keep our most vulnerable patients safe please still wear a face mask if you are visiting:

Haematology (ward 33/haematology day unit)
The Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre
Patients who are immunocompromised
Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19

Stopping the spread of flu

We have made the clinical decision to introduce the mandatory wearing of fluid resistant masks for all staff in specific wards and services to help limit the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses.

We respectfully encourage patients and visitors to also wear a mask where able to help keep our vulnerable patients safe and our staff fit and healthy at work.

The wards where staff will be wearing masks:

The James Cook University Hospital:

Emergency department
Urgent treatment centre
Same day emergency care
Ward 1 (acute assessment unit)
Ward 4 (renal)
Ward 9 (respiratory)
Ward 14 (oncology)
Ward 31 (medicine short stay)
Ward 33 (haematology)
Ward 37 (acute medical unit)
Rheumatology outpatients

Friarage Hospital

Urgent treatment centre
Clinical decisions unit

Redcar Primary Care Hospital

Urgent treatment centre

While patients and visitors are not required to wear a mask, it is encouraged in these areas. You can obtain a mask from a member of staff on the ward.

Face masks for incoming patients

If you are experiencing symptoms of flu and need to visit our services for support, you may be asked to wear a face mask as a precautionary measure.

If asked, a face mask will be provided to you.

Please be respectful of our staff who are looking after our communities over the busy winter period.

Send a message to a friend or relative

If you would like to get a message or picture to an inpatient at any of our hospitals during COVID-19 our patient experience team are here to help.

Simply email your message to [email protected] including the full name of the patient and the ward that they are on (if known) and we will ensure it is passed on as soon as possible.

To help us ensure your message reaches the right person please include their full name, date of birth and the first line of their home address (or the name of their GP surgery).

Gifts and cards can also be dropped off at the patient experience office near north reception at The James Cook University Hospital on weekdays between 9am and 4pm.

Information for visitors leaflet