Visiting resumes at University Hospital Limerick

VISITING for inpatients at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) will resume today, bank holiday Monday.

The resumption follows the news that levels of respiratory illnesses in the community continue to decline from their early January 2023 peak.

However, transmission of respiratory illness, including Covid-19, remains such that UL Hospitals Group "must take every precaution to keep inpatients and their loved ones, and our staff, safe from the threat of infection"

Visiting hours at UHL are 2-4 and 6-9pm daily, and must be booked via the online booking system. Visits are limited to one visitor per patient per day, in line with public health guidelines and infection prevention & control

"We are sorry for the inconvenience and anxiety to patients impacted by the visiting restrictions of the past month, which were necessary to protect all patients and staff in the hospital," said a spokesperson.

Visiting restrictions remain in place in the hospital’s Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit.

The only exceptions in those areas are:

-parents visiting children in hospital

-people assisting confused patients, for example dementia

-compassionate grounds, for example for patients who are critically unwell or at end of life

All exemptions are limited to one person per patient, and will be looked at on a case by case basis.

Visitors must adhere to the basic public health safety measures that help prevent transmission of Covid-19 in healthcare settings. Visitors must wear a face mask, which are available at the hospital entrance, and observe hand hygiene.

"We recommend that any visitor to UHL or any of our hospitals is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before accessing our sites," added the spokesperson.