
If you think you may have symptoms of coronavirus (opens in new window) >, follow the national guidance and self-isolate for 10 days. Please see our information for visitors > before you plan on visiting one of our hospitals. If you, or a member of your family has tested positive for coronavirus, please find resources to aid your/their recovery on our supporting your recovery from coronavirus > page.
Vising restrictions remain in place at all of our hospitals to protect our colleagues, visitors and patients. While we understand it’s important for patients to be able to see their family and friends we have to keep safety our top priority. Suspending visiting helps us to prevent the spread of infection.
Visiting will remain limited to only essential visitors on all of our wards and departments. For full details, see our Information for visitors > page.
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton has put in place comprehensive measures for staff, patients and visitors for the wearing of face masks and face coverings whilst at our hospitals. All patients and visitors should wear a face covering on entrance to the hospitals and throughout the duration of their visit.
The face coverings can be a scarf, homemade face mask or one that has been purchased. The measures are an important part, alongside social distancing, of reducing the spread of Covid-19 in our hospitals and to keep our patients and communities safe.
We have a limited supply of surgical facemasks that will be offered to patients and visitors who arrive without a face covering. Exceptions are allowed on an individual basis for vulnerable people, people with disabilities, children and those with certain medical conditions (e.g. asthma).
Under certain circumstances, for example visiting an inpatient on a ward, you may be asked to change your face covering for a face mask we will provide.
It is important that your clinical care is not compromised so in situations when wearing face covering makes communication too difficult, coverings can be removed with the appropriate social distancing followed. However, for the safety of our staff we would ask that you wear your covering if you are able to.
People with Covid-19 can have very mild or no respiratory symptoms (asymptomatic) and can transmit the virus to others without being aware of it. Face coverings can be cloth and/or homemade, and advice on how to wear and make a face covering can be found on the government website.
Get advice on how to wear and make a face covering (opens in new window) >
Face coverings worn as part of religious beliefs or cultural practice are also acceptable, providing they are not loose and cover the mouth and nose.
Good hand hygiene and maintenance of social distancing continue to be extremely important actions to reduce spread of Covid-19. The measures in place for social distancing and hand hygiene are not changing. These are maintaining a distance of 2m from others when not wearing PPE for the designated area, keeping left, following lift and stair restrictions and practicing good hand hygiene, notable handwashing for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Some of the other steps being taken at UHDB to protect our patients, staff and to maintain essential services include:
Cohort wards have been set up in protected locations across Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton for patients who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19. These wards are staffed by teams of highly experienced doctors, nurses and other colleagues who are appropriately trained and equipped to provide this care effectively.
Please rest assured that all of our key workers on the wards are being issued with all of the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are strictly following national guidance around infection control, to keep both themselves and our patients safe.
Maintaining patient safety is a priority and changes may be necessary as the situation evolves. For example, your specialist teams may encourage phone consultation rather than seeing you in person, to minimise any risk to you.
Stay up to date with the latest guidance:
In order to minimise crowding, we ask you to travel alone to the hospital if you’re able, in line with national social distancing advice.
If you have anyone coming with you when you have your treatment, they should wait outside the hospital. This helps us minimise further risk to you and other patients.
We appreciate this is a difficult time so if you have any concerns, please speak to the nurse in charge on the day of your appointment.
Most people make a full recovery after cancer treatment and their immune system either recovers fully or is not affected. But the type of cancer and the treatment you have had may increase your risk from coronavirus.
If you are taking hormone tablets or injections for cancer, you are at no more risk of contracting coronavirus. You should continue your medication and take the appropriate hand washing and social distancing measures.
Find out more about the risks of Coronavirus to cancer patients (opens in new window) >
If you care for someone with cancer or receiving cancer treatment, you should follow social distancing measures and take extra care to protect them from coronavirus.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus and you live with someone with cancer, you should try to arrange for them to stay with family or friends for 14 days while you self-isolate.
Get guidance for carers concerned about Coronavirus (opens in new window) >
For information for pregant women see our Maternity Services during coronavirus >
There is currently no evidence to suggest that coronavirus poses a greater risk if you are pregnant than it does to other healthy people, but the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have welcomed the government’s precautionary approach which aims to:
Visit the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website (opens in new window) >
You should prepare two support partners, so in the event of a support partner needing to self-isolate, you can ask your second support partner to come with you (as long as they are symptom free).
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, we advise that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks of transmission of the virus through breast milk.
However, you should take the following precautions:
Whatever method of feeding, consider asking someone who is well to feed your baby. If you are breastfeeding, you can express your milk so someone else can bottle feed.
If you notice that your baby is not moving or the movements have changed or reduced, you still need to call the hospital you are booked to give birth at immediately. Even if you think you may have Covid-19 symptoms you must contact the hospital and we will arrange for you to be seen in an isolation area to check you and your baby are healthy. Do not wait for your next midwife appointment.
If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, you should call NHS 111 and follow national Coronavirus guidance (opens in new window) >.
You should continue your immunosuppressive medication, including steroids, unless instructed otherwise by your clinician.
If you stop taking your medication, it could cause a flare up of your condition which could increase your risk of complications if you get coronavirus.
It is advisable to avoid using anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen, to treat symptoms of possible coronavirus. If you have been taking these types of medications to treat a long term condition, there is no need to stop them if you remain well.
Your immunosuppressive treatment will continue, even if you are practicing social distancing, including:
If you have viral symptoms, such as a continuous cough or high temperature, please contact NHS 111.
In cases where an infection of any kind is confirmed, it may be necessary to stop your immunosuppressive treatment for a time.
Current national advice for people at high risk (opens in new window) > considers patients on immunosuppressive therapy at increased risk from coronavirus, and steps should be taken to isolate as much as possible and work from home.
People who live with you should continue to practice good hand hygiene and safe social distancing.
Unless we have contacted you to cancel or rearrange your appointment, please attend as planned. Where possible, we may be able to offer you a phone call or digital appointment instead. If this is the case, we will let you know by phone or by post in advance.
You must not attend your appointment if you should be self-isolating because you, or somebody close to you, has, or has had, symptoms.
You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you are staying at home. Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to: