Patients and visitors at Sutton's King's Mill Hospital asked to continue to wear masks

NHS leaders have explained that while restrictions are being lifted in most public places, strict Infection Control needs to be followed in hospitals and healthcare settings, to stop vulnerable people from being placed at additional risk.

Jane Warren is a 54-year-old COPD patient being treated at King’s Mill Hospital and has been shielding since the start of the pandemic due to being Clinically Extremely Vulnerable.

She said: “People wearing masks helps me to feel safer, even if they wear a face shield. If you don’t wear a mask you are putting people like me at risk.

"I would advise everyone to wear a mask and keep their distance whilst in the hospital to help protect other patients and staff as well.”

Julie Hogg, chief nurse and infection control lead at Sherwood Forest Hospitals explains: “The public and our patients have been so supportive during the past 16 months and we can’t thank them enough. Our ask today is that they keep on supporting us so that we can keep vulnerable patients safe.

“We know that restricted compassionate visiting is particularly hard and we review this regularly so that we can increase visiting as soon as possible. Covid is still at a higher rate in the local community than we would like and until infection rates come down, every visitor increases the risk of infection either coming into our hospital or going out with a visitor.

“If you or your loved one had a compromised immune system or were recovering after a serious operation, you would want us to do everything we could to keep them safe. Patients with these conditions are being treated in our hospitals every day, so we need to keep rules in place for a bit longer. Please bear with us and please keep helping us so that we can help you and your loved ones.”

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