VISITING at all of Worcestershire’s community hospitals and mental health wards remain closed this week.

Visiting was suspended on Friday (September 11) following a rise in COVID-19 cases in parts of the county.

It means that visiting is now closed at the community hospitals in Bromsgrove, Malvern, Tenbury, Pershore, Evesham, as well as at Wyre Forest Ward.

Worcester City Inpatient Unit also remains closed to visitors.

There will be some exceptions, for example visiting for patients who are receiving end of life care

The closure to visitors covers all Worcestershire’s mental health/recovery wards too although mental health units in Herefordshire, which are also run by the Trust, are unaffected and visiting remains open on an appointment only basis.

Any relatives with a visiting appointment booked for this week will be offered a virtual visit supported by ward staff. The situation will be reviewed again at the end of this week.

Visiting at Worcestershire’s community hospitals and mental health wards did open on an appointment only basis a few weeks ago. Visiting at Acute Hospitals in Redditch, Worcester and Kidderminster have remained closed since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Further information on visiting is available online at www.hacw.nhs.uk/visiting.