Hospital to change visiting hours

Waikato Hospital is about to trial new visiting hours in response to "chaotic, overcrowded wards" hampering patients' recoveries.

Currently visiting hours are 11am to 8pm daily, but from September 6 a six-week trial will be staged, with visiting hours in two blocks each day from 11am-1.30pm and 4pm-8pm. A maximum of two visitors per patient will be allowed.

Waikato District Health Board director of nursing and midwifery Sue Hayward said extended opening hours were having a negative effect on patient recovery and increased the risk of introduced infections.

"It would seem that the loosening up of visitor hours and numbers of visitors coincided with a reduction in respect for Waikato Hospital, those who work in it and those who need care in this environment," Mrs Hayward said.

The move to restrict visiting hours follows on from publicity in the Waikato Times last month that revealed more than 170 staff had been abused or assaulted at Waikato hospitals in the past year.

The visiting hours trial was outlined at this week's Health Waikato Advisory committee meeting by chief operating officer Jan Adams, who welcomed the trial in the hope of "regaining control" in the recovery of patients.

"We will launch a public campaign aimed at the Waikato population that will focus on the importance of reducing visitor numbers and hours for the good of the patients," Mrs Adams said.

Mrs Hayward said patients were asking for it, demanding more peace and quiet so they could rest and recover.

"When walking around the hospital it is obvious that the large number of visitors and crowding creates a sense of chaos, which is not conducive to a good healing environment," she said.

Mr Hayward said the crackdown was not about trying to minimise the importance family and friends had in the recovery process.

"It is about attempting to instil an increased sense of respect by visitors for the work carried out within our hospital and the need for more peace and quiet each patient deserves," she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News