Visiting is welcome on our wards during our visiting times (usually between 3pm and 8pm for an adult ward) and our patients look forward to seeing their loved ones during their stay with us.
Please read before you visit us
Our patients are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and our priority is their safety and the safety of our staff.
We regularly review our visiting arrangements to keep everyone safe.
Carers with carers passports can still support those they care for.
Please do the following:
- wear a mask when we ask you to
- maintain social distancing where you can
- come alone if you can or with one other person only if needed
Do not visit if you have:
- a COVID positive test
- flu-like symptoms
- an upset stomach/diarrhoea
- COVID symptoms
- been in contact with, or isolating with, someone else who may have coronavirus
- returned from overseas and are required to quarantine.
Read more about preventing infection in our hospitals.
If you can’t visit your loved one face-to-face then we can help you to have a virtual visit.
Adult wards
Visiting times
Visiting on our inpatient wards is usually between 3pm and 8pm every day.
Some wards may have other times in place so please check with them.
If you’d like to visit outside of our visiting times please talk to the ward manager before you visit. Please note that patients receiving end of life care and their loved ones will always have a compassionate approach to visiting.
Visiting information
Please note:
- Up to two adults can visit a patient at one time but this doesn’t need to be the same two people throughout the day.
- We ask that you please don’t bring children on to our adult wards.
- We’ll always try our best to let you spend as long as possible with your loved one but you may be asked to leave the ward so we can provide the best care and safety for our patients.
Children’s wards
One parent or carer can be with their child at all times on the children’s wards. For further details on visitors to our children’s ward, please visit our children’s services.
Neonatal wards
We do not consider parents as visitors. Parents are an integral part in their baby’s care and within the neonatal team. Please visit our neonatal ward pages for full details on visiting us.
Maternity
Visit our maternity visitors page for the latest information on visiting times to our wards .
More information on maternity is in our maternity section.
Supporting visiting at end of life
When a patient is ill enough that they could die within the next few days, it can be difficult to say exactly when that will be. Please know that if you’re not there when your loved one dies, we will do our best to comfort them. We’ll always act compassionately for loved ones to spend precious time and to say goodbye.
We’ll always act compassionately for loved ones to spend precious time and to say goodbye. For end of life patients up to four visitors per day is allowed. The ward will arrange this with you. If any visitors have suspected coronavirus then the ward manager will talk with you to do all we can to enable visiting.
Our chaplains are available to help for spiritual, emotional or religious support during this time.
Other ways to stay in touch
As well as in person visiting we also encourage patients and visitors to use digital services such as Facetime, Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp to stay in touch with loved ones during their hospital stay.
Our hospitals have some iPads and mobile phones that patients can use to keep in touch with loved ones remotely.
Messages for loved ones
You can send personal messages and letters to loved ones in hospital. Please make sure to include your relative’s name and the ward they are on and send your messages by email or post.
All messages will be printed and laminated for delivery to the wards Monday to Friday.
Brighton and Princess Royal Hospital
Send your message by email or call our PALS team who’ll write your message down and deliver it to your loved one for you.
Send your messages via email
[email protected]
Or call us via the PALS team
01273 664511
Monday to Friday
8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Worthing and St Richard’s hospitals
Email your message or post them to:
Messages to loved one
St Richard’s Hospital
Spitalfield Lane
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 6SE
Email your message to:
[email protected]
Thinking of you messages
Contact us to send a 'thinking of you message'
Some of our patients might not have visitors or loved ones who stay in touch. You can write a ‘thinking of you message’ to patients by emailing or by post to:
Messages to loved one
St Richard’s Hospital
Spitalfield Lane
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 6SE
All messages will be printed and laminated for delivery to the wards Monday to Friday.