Covid-19 updates
Throughout the pandemic we have been working hard to continue providing round the clock care for patients and their loved ones.
Despite reduction and cessation of many covid-19 restrictions in the country, the hospice continues to care for very vulnerable patients and some measures need to remain to ensure we can care for patients and support their families as safely as possible. Below outlines visiting arrangements. We would request that visitors use careful judgement when visiting including ensuring you are not unwell with any symptoms of Covid-19 or could potentially have Covid-19; for example living with someone who has tested positive.
Visitor arrangements at St Catherine’s are currently as follows:
Visitor arrangements at St Catherine’s Hospice are being updated from 11 April 2022. Patients will be permitted four visitors per day from a nominated list of up to eight individuals with two visitors allowed at the bedside at any one time. Visiting will be between the hours of 11.00-18.00 Monday to Friday and 11.00-17.00 at weekends. Last admittance will be 1 hour before visiting ends where we have staff/volunteers available on reception to support.
1. Patients will be permitted four visitors per day from a nominated list of up to eight individuals with two visitors allowed at the bedside at any one time. Changes to the list of eight nominated visitors will not be permitted. Any visitor over the age of 16 must be on the list.
2. Previously we have not permitted visiting to patients who are Covid 19 positive, symptomatic of Covid 19 or awaiting test results. This is changing and these patients will be permitted visits from 2 named individuals, subject to wearing mask, apron and gloves and not moving through communal areas. We would request that visitors consider their own individual risk of attending. Visiting will resume as outlined above once the person tests negative or on completion of their isolation period
3. If you are visiting a patient who is thought to be in their last days of life visiting arrangements will be discussed with you.
4. Visiting will be open each day between the hours of 11.00-18.00 Monday to Friday and 11.00-17.00 at weekends. Last admittance will be 1 hour before visiting ends where we have staff/volunteers available on reception.
5. Each visitor will be screened to ensure they do not have a high temperature. You will also be asked to confirm you do not have a new continuous cough or a loss of or change in your normal taste or smell. In the event that you have a temperature of 37.80c or above, a cough, or loss of taste or smell you will be unable to visit a patient.
6. All visitors will enter the Hospice via the main reception area. When you arrive at reception you must use the hand gel provided and you will be provided with a medical grade face mask. You will then be given further details about what to expect from the visit including being offered additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is not compulsory unless you are visiting someone who is suspected or confirmed Covid positive or has been in contact with someone who is Covid-19 positive. You will also be provided with advice on what to do on leaving after your visit. Lateral flow tests will no longer be required.
7. If you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 it is important you do not visit the hospice.
8. On, or just prior to admission to the hospice patients will be tested for Covid-19. Up to 2 visitors will be permitted to be present on the day of admission to support the patient and admission process.
9. In addition to the nominated list of 8 adult visitors, a minister or priest is also allowed to visit to meet the spiritual needs of the patient. PPE must be worn and the same checks take place as for other visitors.
10. Children under 16 years old can visit a patient if they live in the same household when accompanied with an adult. The number of children able to visit at any one time will be discussed on a case by case basis.
11. When a patient wishes to see their grandchildren, one visit per grandchild for up to an hour can be arranged when accompanied by an adult.
12. 11 year old’s and over must wear face masks and sanitise their hands and under 11 years old’s must sanitise their hands.
13. All visitors must sign in at reception by completing the singing-in book on arrival.
14. When visiting ends at 18.00 a bell will be rung and you will be guided from the Hospice in a phased manner.
15. Refreshments will be available during visiting time in the conservatory (when open), or from the hospice café/shop in reception. Disposable cups will be available and must be consumed in patients’ rooms and disposed of in the domestic bin in the patient’s room.
16. Please can visitors ensure any items brought for patients are brought into the hospice in a plastic bag. The empty plastic bag can then be placed in the yellow bin in the patient’s room.
WE CONTIUALLY REVIEW CURRENT GUIDANCE AND WILL UPDATE VISITING ACCORDINGLY.
IN ORDER TO KEEP PATIENTS AND STAFF SAFE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL VISITORS ADHERE TO THIS GUIDANCE. IN THE EVENT THAT THIS IS NOT FOLLOWED IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAKE FURTHER RESTRICTIONS. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD WISH FOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION.
Our Covid privacy notice
Covid-19 and your information
This Privacy Notice explains how St Catherine’s (Lancashire) Ltd, and our affiliated trading company St Catherine’s Trading, our lottery company St Catherine’s Promotions and The Mill (St Catherine’s Social Enterprise) will use your personal data in order to meet the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Herein’ referred to as St Catherine’s.
Please read this privacy notice together with St Catherine’s general privacy statement here which contains more detailed information about our data processing.
St Catherine’s has decided to collect and keep a limited record of staff, patients and visitors who come onto our premises for the purpose of contact tracing. By maintaining records of staff, patients and visitors and sharing these with NHS Test and Trace where requested, we can help to identify people who may have been exposed to the Coronavirus.
NHS Test and Trace is part of the Department for Health and Social Care, in England
If you would like more information on the Government Track and Trace service, please click here.
Our legal basis for processing your information
We use your personal data in line with the rules set out in the General Data Protection Regulations Article 6 (1) (e) – public task.
What information do we collect?
As a visitor to St Catherine’s, you will be asked to provide some basic contact details. The following information will be collected:
• The names of all visitors, or if it is a group of people, the name of one member of the group.
• A contact phone number or email address for each visitor, or one member of a group of people.
• Date of visit and arrival and departure time.How and why we ask you to share your personal information
We collect and process information, including personal information, to enable contacts of known COVID-19 sufferers to be identified, contacted and an assessment of their risk of catching COVID-19 be made and advice provided to those at high risk..
Consent
If you do not wish your contact information to be passed to NHS Test and Trace if requested, please speak to a member of staff.
Who we share your personal data with
We will only share information with NHS Test and Trace if it is specifically requested by them. For example, if another visitor or member of staff at the hospice reported symptoms and subsequently tested positive, NHS Test and Trace can request a log of visitors details for a particular time period (e.g. this may be all who visited on a particular day or time-band, over a two-day period).
NHS Test and Trace will not disclose this information to any third party unless required to do so by law (e.g. as a result of receiving a court order).
How long do we keep your personal information?
NHS Test and Trace have asked us to retain this information for 21 days from the date of your visit, to enable con tact tracing to be carried out by NHS Test and Trace during that period.
However, the government guidance may also cover information that we should usually collect and hold onto as part of our ordinary dealings with you (e.g. your name and contact details). Where this is the case, this information only will continue to be held after 21 days and we will use it as we would usually, unless and until you tell us differently.
Your information will always be stored and used in compliance with the relevant data protection legislation.
