Have the NHS finally become plain stooopid,

My farther in law has had a second stroke, he loves our daughter more than life itself and a visit from her while he is in hospital would lift his spirits no end but the Hospital have said that children are not allowed on the Ward !!

Is there actually any evidence that reducing visitors hours, stopping children visiting, stopping you take flowers into hospitals actually stop spread of infection ? For christ sake, I visited A&E a while ago and there was so much piss and blood all over the toilet floors, that was not cleaned up for eight hours, you would have thought that may have been a slightly worse spread of disease than visitors !

😆 at farther in law, but not at his illness. Sorry to hear.

Yes, it is crazy, such a small thing as allowing a child in to see a grandparent would do so much for his recovery, yet is banned. I feel for you.

Off topic slightly. Was listening to Melvin Bragg on R4 about cities through the ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the things they were saying about cities, and concentrations of people, was the spread of disease. Seems like whenever lots of us get together, there will inevitably be disease.

Back on topic. How about slashing an entire layer of middle management from the NHS and spending the money on nurses' wages, beds and cleaners?

Smuggle her in.

I think a phone call to the news desk of your local rag would prompt an article and a more sympathetic response fromt he hospital…

Curious, anyone who wanted to was allowed to visit a family member of mine in hospital despite him being in the ICU. I'd ask to speak to someone in charge.

See below but with better spelling

OK for balance for no reason other than they are young and still learning about life children can at random times get very load and excitable, this can cause stress toyour relative and other patients around him that can aggrivate their conditions.

While I am not saying this would happen with your daughter, the reason why they ban is because it CAN happen, would you like a screaming wailing child at the next bed?

Get her to record a video message to him! , the hospital whilst seeming to be a bit anal are only erring on the side of caution.

Your father in law has had a stroke but other people on the same ward may be suffering from any number of other diseases/problems that could be made worse by a child bringing something as simple as a cold in (all those with children know what breeding grounds for germs schools are)

do a video for him although it won't be her in the flesh I'm sure it would perk him up.

It's also why children were more at risk from swineflu, they are snotty little souls who like to put fingers in places they shouldn't and then in their mouths etc, children spread infection much more efficiently than adults, still, If u want the old guy to have the misery of MRSA, C Diff or norovirus, go ahead smuggle her in, I'm sure if everyone did it no one would mind

hustler, thats kind of down to the parents to control that action.. which we would.

video is a cracking idea though, thanks all.

Since when, or is this just your local hospital?

I took my three in to see my grandma during the summer, and this was the not leaving ward… Not a problem at all.

IMO if the patients are 'out-of-it', then they won't even notice – and if they still have there 'facilities' it usually brightens up their day, to see a child around

Wot rocketdog said.

Kids are a pain in hospitals and yes – visitors are one of the main sources of infections and vectors of transmission.

As Hustler and TJ said.

They are not doing it to be meanies. Imagine how many people ARE kicking off daily- That isnt fair on the hospital staff is it?

video is a cracking idea though, thanks all.

Maybe she could make him a card too? Better than flowers any day 😀

Still seems OTT to me, and isn't a ruling in 3 of the hospitals local to me, or at least wasn't up to about 6 months ago.

Plus on a general note (and experiences in our local Supermarket)- peoples idea of discipline with their own children is appalling. Someone recovering doesnt want noise, banging about etc from other peoples visitors.

Nurses and ward managers are like bike shops. Things change when biscuits and chocolate appear. When my dad was having heart trouble we flouted the rules but compensated at the same time and never had a problem.

The other aspect of course is your daughter could pick up infections from the hospital.

Have a quiet word with the ward manager. It may be a rule that is only enforced when people bring in a huge brood of screaming brats

In my limited experience a phone call to the ward manager can make a world of difference. The maternity ward at Oxford have quite strict rules about visiting but a call to the desk always allowed for a degree of flexibility.

When we were in SCBU with our girls they had a strict* 'siblings only' rule for anyone under 14. We were quite happy with this as we didn't want all their little nieces and various other friends' children appearing and causing a racket/running around/pressing things they shouldn't etc.

But they let any old person with any old child in and it was actually quite embarrassing telling people to take the young 'uns back out as we didn't actually want them there.

*So the sign said anyway

Jeez TJ really has become Victor Meldrew – that's parked cars, dogs and kids in hospital all in the space of one week.

As others have said its mainly due to kids carrying all sorts of bugs on them and trying to keep the ward in order. When my dad was in having treatment for cancer (in Sheffield) my sister couldn't take her kids in to see him even though they'd come all the way up from Cornwall!! Granted he had no immune system but sometimes its just not worth the risk.

Mrs Skip was in a while back having a lumber puncture when mum, dad, grandad and 2 kids came in to see grandma in the next bed. Nurse was straight in to get rid of the kids and 1 adult. The last thing our lass needed was 2 kids next door to her saying "whats this? whats that do? Can we go yet?"

Its not only your family on the ward but other peoples and some may need more rest. Do the video thing, he'll be able to watch in more than once and may mean more to him knowing the trouble you've all gone too.

And who wanted to go into hospitals when they were a kid anyway? I hated them – they scared me. Best all round I think.

Also, has he got lots of wires and pipes sticking in and out of him? Is he in good condition? Maybe on some wards, sorry to call them "gods waiting room" wards the last thing they want children to see is grandad not looking like he used to being kept alive by a machine. Child see's him, starts balling their eyes out and neither the child or one parent get any time with them.

Just a thought as to why….

We had the same when my gran was in hospital in Taunton, no kids allowed, and as the wife was immobile and the inlaw's were on holiday and my parents at the hospital as much as possiable even when it's 90 mins each way, there was nobody to have the kids so we didn't get to see her, see died in hospital a couple of days later.

That's bonkers. Sorry but I can't believe there's any evidence to suggest that children are more likely to cause infections in hospitals, if that's the reason.

As above, I'd talk directly to the ward sister. Ask first, bribe next and then just smuggle the kid in if you really want to do it. Have you got a similar sized child with broad shoulders and a long brown coat? You know what to do.

No kids here on the old people's wards in the Spanish hospitals, either.

Jesus this country and some of the people in it are doing my **** head in!

When my granny was on her death-bed I took my kids in so we could all say goodbye – I would not like to have been the person who tried to stop me or any of the rest of the family visiting.

97 years old – 3 children, 8 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.

it's not just kidz, when norovirus breaks out in my hospital (mostly brought from outside in the first place BTW, they ban ALL visitors, even shut down the league of friends cafe, amazingly when they do this the virus is controlled in a matter of days, when visitors where allowed in it never went away, you try getting visitors to use the alcohol hand wash entering and leaving wards, they look at you like you are making it up!

I would not like to have been the person who tried to stop me or any of the rest of the family visiting.

this is a prime example of what the NHS is up against 🙄

Yeah – some of our friends and family took great pleasure in telling us how they had ignored the request not to bring in young children and/or have three or more visitors at any one time. Odd behaviour I think.

br – so you think its OK to risk bringing an infection in that could kill someone? Nice.

TJ – it was a DEATH ward, nobody was leaving!

Anyway, since you don't have kids, you won't be missing your final farewells – happy life!

Why not ask what the reason is? I'm happy that our local hospital is doing everything it can to reduce infection – hand washing, no kids etc. They are trying to make hospitals healthier and cleaner – try to reduce the emotion and be happy they are doing something to stop patients getting infections.

As for the 'internet hospital hard men' – grow a pair you wet pants.

Sounds harsh but infection control can be the difference between life and death for some and there is also the risk of exposing young immune systems to a nasty virus. The rules are there for a good reason….

Thats a load of bollocks, they can't stop you from taking your daughter to see her grandfather. I would be straight on to the chief exec of the hospital. my father was in hospital recently and he saw his grandchildren and so did the other patients,and nobody batted an eyelid. Did you ask why, as it seems rather draconian to me.

flippinheckler – you have no right of entry into the hospital – behaving like that will just get you absolutely nowhere fast. Do you really think a chief exec will go against policy?

b r – Member

………. I would not like to have been the person who tried to stop me or any of the rest of the family visiting.

Zero tolerance for people who intimidate or assault hospital staff. You would be arrested, spend the night in the cells and be infront of the magistrate / sherrif in the morning.

they can't stop you from taking your daughter to see her grandfather.

They can, that is why hospitals have security guards and in many cases police on scene at all times. It is not just to contend with drunks, and as has been pointed out above there are very good reasons in certain cases.

I do sympathise with people wanting to take their children onto wards but the sad fact is that an awful lot of people have no regard for others and would undoubtedly let their children run wild/make a noise/interfere with equipment etc.

And to the OP, you don't need evidence (there is plenty) to realise that the more people entering a ward, the higher the chance of infection. Hope your father-in-law makes a good recovery and yes, it may well be worth having a chat with the ward Sister and once she sees you are a reasonable person she may well allow your daughter to see her Grandad, possibly in a side room if that is practicable. Good luck

vectors of transmission

I'm sure I saw them play back in 81.

From my local NHS Trust website:

It is recommended that patients have no more than two visitors at any one time. Children under five years are advised not to visit the adult wards apart from in exceptional circumstances.

In an effort to minimise the spread of Norovirus over the winter months, NBT is asking children under the age of 11 not to visit. These restrictions currently exclude children’s and maternity wards. Exceptions to these rules may be authorised by the ward sister or the nurse in charge in extraordinary circumstances. Please discuss with ward staff or phone ahead of your visit, if you have any questions.

Seems so very reasonable – who could argue with that?