A HOSPITAL trust has defended its decision to keep visiting restrictions in place amid continued concerns about the spread of Covid. 

The East Suffolk and North Essex Trust says the rate of infection in its hospitals in Colchester, Harwich, Clacton and Ipswich remains high.

The trust says its visiting policy is under regular review with almost daily discussions being held about the possibility of lifting restrictions.

In the seven days to April 15 there were 718 cases of Covid recorded in Colchester and 592 cases recorded in Tendring. 

ESNEFT’s chief executive Nick Hulme said it remains his priority to keep hospital patients as safe as possible.

He said: “Quite rightly, people are asking me why we still have visiting restrictions in place when other hospitals do not.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Boss - chief executive Nick HulmeBoss - chief executive Nick Hulme (Image: Newsquest)

“But the truth is the situation from one trust to another, even if they are in the same county, is never the same.

“Community infection rates have come down in other areas quicker than they have in north Essex and east Suffolk, and therefore inpatient numbers in those areas have come down too.

“Due to the number of Covid-19 cases and contacts in our hospitals, as well as community prevalence of the virus, most of our visiting restrictions must remain in place for now.

“We are committed to reinstating more open ward visiting as soon as we can.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Concerned - Giles ThorpeConcerned - Giles Thorpe (Image: Newsquest)

Current restrictions mean if a patient has been in hospital for seven days or more, they may have one visitor to see them for up to one hour a day.

The rules are also loosened for carers, patients with a dementia or learning disability, parents of children in hospital and for those receiving end of life care.

Chief nurse Giles Thorpe, who also oversees the trust’s infection prevention and control, added: “We are still seeing high rates of Covid and people are still being admitted with the virus too, so we must continue to do all we can to stop transmission in our hospitals.

“We do appreciate and understand how difficult it is for our patients and the people who care about them, but we cannot ignore the number of patients we have with the virus and how infectious this latest variant is.”