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Visiting times at Southampton General Hospital

Visiting hours at a glance

Adult wards

  • open visiting, 10am to 8pm

Children's wards

  • open visiting, 10am to 8pm - parents and guardians only after 8pm

Families, friends and carers really make a big difference to people in hospital, helping patients feel better and recover faster.

We try to be as flexible as possible with visiting, but because we prioritise medical care, sometimes we may need to apply restrictions.

You may be asked to leave the ward:

  • if there are more than two visitors at the bedside
  • if we need to deliver medicine or care to your loved one or patients nearby
  • during doctors’ ward rounds, to ensure confidentiality is maintained for all patients

  • to allow patients to rest

How you can help:

  • don’t visit if you’re unwell or have had diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 48 hours
  • wash your hands when entering the ward using the alcohol gel provided, and follow infection prevention precautions if we ask you to
  • support your loved one to eat and drink if appropriate - this will help aid their recovery
  • keep noise to a minimum and switch your phone to silent
  • be considerate of other patients and their visitors, and try not to disturb staff while they’re administering care or medication
  • help keep the patient’s bed space tidy and use the chairs provided, please don’t sit on the bed
  • arrange for one person to liaise between ward staff, family and friends - remember we can only give out information about a patient if they’ve given their permission
  • you can also help your relative by bringing in things they may need, such as medication, toiletries, glasses, dentures, nightwear and suitable footwear, for example

Information for carers

We welcome family carers on wards and will support you to get involved with your loved one’s care - including assisting at mealtimes and with washing.

If you’re a carer, let staff know so we can discuss flexible or extended visiting hours and the carer’s passport card.

If you'd like to bring children to visit

Please talk about this with the ward leader.