An online booking system for visitors to see friends and family at Walsall Manor Hospital has been improved.
The new system, which goes live at 5pm today, will allow people to book a visit online – a day before they plan to attend. And they will now receive a confirmation email shortly after confirming their visit.
Andrew Rice, Patient Experience & Voluntary Services Manager, said: “We have loved being able to welcome visitors back to the hospital following necessary restrictions that were introduced during peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic to minimise infection risks for all.
“We have had some fantastic feedback during this time along with suggestions on how we can make the process even more simple and convenient for people. We have taken this on board and are pleased to be able to announce improvements to the booking system as a result.
“Visitors will now be able to book the day before – rather than wait until the day itself – and the confirmation email they receive with their visiting information will replace the Authorised Visitor Passes that we have been asking people to collect at the Welcome Hub. Visitors now only have to show their confirmation email to the ward upon arrival for their visit.”
Andrew explained that those visitors who are unable to book online or do not have an email address, can still call the Welcome Hub between 8am – 6.30pm, seven days a week, on 01922 444040.
He added: “Our Welcome Hub staff will still book these visits and provide people with an Authorised Visitor Pass to collect from them upon arrival at the hospital”
Walsall Healthcare still operates a controlled visiting policy that welcomes a maximum of two visitors to a patient each day. The two visitors must attend together in the same time slot.
If anyone has any visiting queries they should call the Welcome Hub or email wht.visiting@nhs.net
The new online booking link is below:
https://infogram.com/welcome-hub-visiting-1hnp27mrjdmxn2g?live
Please do not visit the hospital if you feel unwell – mild cold symptoms for you can cause serious risks for others who have health conditions. And please keep away if you have sickness or diarrhoea.
We ask you to use the hand gel that is widely available throughout our hospital and also have face masks for those who are able to wear them.
Our staff may also ask you to wear a face mask in some areas of the hospital and we thank you for working with us to keep each other as safe as possible.