Visiting a patient in our hospitals

Visiting times for adult patients are 12pm to 8pm (with some local exceptions).

Exceptions

  • Paediatric (children’s) inpatient ward
  • Birthing centres
  • Neonatal Unit
  • Delivery Suite
  • Intensive care units
  • In our emergency departments (A&E) there are no standard visiting times but there may be times when only one visitor can be present, such as when the department is extremely busy or if the patient needs emergency treatment.
  • Emergency assessment units
  • Systematic anti-cancer therapy units (SACT) including Charles Dickens ward, Haematology Outpatient Day Unit (HODU) and Chartwell unit.

Please speak with our teams in these areas for more information about visiting.

Ward teams may need visitors to be present outside of visiting times, such as for patients who are in the terminal stages of illness, to better suit the patient’s clinical needs or to help calm anxious patients.

We have signed up to John’s Campaign, which supports carers’ rights to stay with people with dementia in hospital

Protected mealtimes

To ensure effective nutrition all wards have protected mealtimes.

These are periods when routine activity on the ward is reduced so nurses, ward teams and catering staff can serve and supervise meals and help patients who assistance help to eat and drink.

Please talk to the ward team about mealtimes and how you can help.

We welcome visitors if you wish to help your relative or friend at mealtimes. Please check with ward staff before giving assistance. Otherwise we ask visitors to see relatives or friends outside mealtimes.

For more information, please speak to the ward manager or matron. 

Birthing partners

If you are birthing partner, you can find information on our Maternity Services pages.

Infection prevention

You should not come to visit a patient if you feel unwell. Please do not visit if you have cold or flu symptoms, norovirus, or symptoms of Covid-19.

 

Patient accommodation

We have single sex wards at Maidstone Hospital and Fordcombe Hospital. Tunbridge Wells Hospital has single en suite rooms on all wards. More information is on our documents and publications page.

 

We are a smoke-free NHS trust

Smoking is not permitted on our hospital grounds or in our buildings, anywhere, any time, by patients or visitors. Vaping is permitted, at a distance from entrances and our buildings.

Quitting smoking is much easier when you have the right support, and our Stop Smoking service can advise on local stop smoking services, and support for inpatients and those wishing to stop smoking in pregnancy.

 

Find out more about how we ensure your safety at our hospitals, and how our visitors can help us keep our patients safe.