Facemask guidance has been updated at the Trust in line with the latest national guidance. It is no longer necessary for staff, patients and visitors to wear facemasks at all times but there are some circumstances where facemasks must still be worn:
Patients attending Outpatients and Urgent Care Areas
- Patients with respiratory symptoms who are required to attend for emergency treatment will be provided with a type IIR facemask on arrival (if tolerated).
- All other patients are not required to wear a facemask unless this is a personal preference, or they are attending areas where universal masking remains in place. (A full list of areas where this applies is provided below).
Visitors
- Visitors will be asked to wear a facemask in inpatient settings where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression or when visiting individual patients who are at high risk of infection.
- Visitors and individuals accompanying patients to outpatient appointments, or the emergency department are not routinely required to wear a facemask unless this is a personal preference.
- Visitors seeing patients with COVID-19 will be asked to wear facemasks as part of the required personal protective equipment.
Facemask dispensers will still be available at all entrances. Welcomers at the main Blackpool Victoria Hospital entrance will advise visitors and outpatients as to whether facemasks are needed in the area they are visiting/attending.
Visitors to the following wards and departments at Blackpool Victoria Hospital areas still are required to wear facemasks:
- Frailty Assessment Area
- The Haematology Ward
- The Haematology Day Unit
- The Macmillan Windmill Unit
- Ward 3
- Ward 5
- Ward 10