IRELAND: COVID 19 Number of inpatients increased significantly; University Hospital Kerry restricted visits

Ireland: COVID 19 Number of inpatients increased significantly. Visits to University Hospital Kerry are restricted.

Given the importance of visiting patients and their families, University Hospital Kerry has restored visitation arrangements in recent months on a safe and structured basis.

In view of the increasing number of Covid-19s, UHK Management has made the difficult decision to modify visitation arrangements to protect our patients, their relatives and our staff. Therefore, from Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Kerry's visit to University Hospital will be restricted to:

UHK Statement on Visiting

Over the past number of months, University Hospital Kerry had re-instated visiting arrangements on a safe and structured basis, in recognition of the importance of visiting for patients and their families.

Unfortunately, the County of Kerry is now experiencing a very high incidence of COVID 19. The 14 day incidence for Kerry is currently trending at 430.6. The consequence of this high incidence rate is that UHK has a significantly increased number of COVID 19 inpatients at the hospital along with a high level of emergency presentations.

UHK Management having considered the continuing increasing Covid-19 numbers has taken the difficult decision to revise visiting arrangements in order to protect our patients, their relatives and our staff. Therefore, from Wednesday 29th June 2022, visiting to University Hospital Kerry is restricted as follows:

General Wards: One visit per patient per week [to be agreed with the ward manager & relevant Consultant, in advance of visiting]. Additional visiting will be facilitated on compassionate grounds.

UHK Visiting Co-ordinator shall co-ordinate visits and can be contacted on 087-1138053. Visiting outside of the designated times will be on compassionate grounds only.

Maternity : Accompanying partner arrangements unchanged presently. Supportive person can attend for Antenatal appointments & labour. No children to attend maternity services.

Palliative : Visiting will be facilitated by prior arrangement in order to protect patients and staff.

All visiting arrangements will be reviewed weekly.

University Hospital Kerry empathises with and understands that this announcement will make it difficult for many families, however our priority is to continue to keep your loved ones safe while in the care of UHK, as well maintain the safety & wellbeing of staff at the hospital. We would like to remind the public that UHK has in place some alternative means of keeping contact with loved ones [Details below].

Keeping Contact Initiative: UHK has set up a specific email address so that patients can receive direct messages. Communications from friends & family can be of great comfort to patients during these times and can be e-mailed to: uhk.keepingcontact@hse.ie Be sure to include on the subject line the Patient’s Full Name, Ward Name (if known) and the first line of the patient’s home address.

Virtual Visits: UHK have an initiative to facilitate Video Calls using WhatsApp on Digipads for patients who do not have SMART phone/devices. Please contact Ward Manager/Nurse in Charge to request video call with your loved one.

UHK would like to extend a very sincere Thank You, in anticipation of the public’s co-operation with these arrangements.

Unfortunately, Kerry County now has a very high incidence of COVID 19. Kerry's 14-day events are currently at 430.6. The consequence of this high incidence is that the number of COVID 19 inpatients in the hospital has increased significantly with the high level of emergency presentation in UHK.

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