At the Royal Free London, we understand the important role visitors play in supporting patients in their recovery. 

We want all visitors to feel welcome, valued, and able to ask questions. 

Our visitors' charter sets out what you can expect from us and what we will expect from you in return, including the safety measures that are still in place regarding visiting. 

At the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, we understand the important role visitors play in supporting patients in their recovery. We want all visitors to feel welcome, valued, and able to ask questions. This charter sets out what you can expect from us and what we expect in return.

You can expect us to: We will expect you to:
Be polite and courteous to everyone at all times.
  • Be polite and courteous to staff, patients, and other visitors at all times.
  • Avoid disturbing staff doing important work, such as giving medication.
Do our best to create a calm, restful environment to help patients recover.
  • Ensure there are no more than two visitors at the bedside at any one time.
  • Keep noise levels low – speak quietly and keep phones on silent.
  • Allow patients time to rest. Our visiting hours are there to give you flexibility – don’t feel you have to stay for the whole time.
  • Talk to the nurse or midwife in charge before bringing children under 12 to visit. Please only do so if it is in their best interest and if you do, supervise them at all times.
Do all we can to prevent infection – this may mean on occasion restricting or suspending visiting.
  • Clean your hands using alcohol gel/foam on entering and leaving the ward.
  • Stay at home if you are suffering from cold/flu symptoms or vomiting and/or diarrhoea and do not visit until you have been symptom free for at least two days.
  • Comply with any infection control guidance from staff including wearing additional personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Be understanding if visiting needs to be restricted or suspended for the safety of patients, staff and visitors.
  • Not sit on the patient’s bed, or use the patient’s bathroom.
Put patient care first – which may sometimes mean asking visitors to leave.
  • Be prepared to leave the bedside if asked to do. Patients receive visits from a wide range of clinical staff throughout the day and we ask you respect patients’ privacy and dignity.
Keep nominated family contact or next of kin informed.
  • Remember that staff may not be able to share information without the patient’s permission. Please talk to us if you would like more information.
Support relatives’ involvement in patient care where appropriate, including family carers.
  • Let us know if you would like to visit during mealtimes to help the patient eat their meals (this may vary from ward to ward).
  • Ask for a copy of our carers agreement if you are a family carer. Some of the care you normally provide may need to change and this will help to keep you and the patient safe.
  • Help the patient by bringing in things they might need such as glasses, toiletries and suitable clothing and footwear.
Be willing to listen and open to feedback. Speak to us if you have any questions and tell us what you think about the care the patient is receiving.

We can all expect to be in an environment that is free from intimidation and threat. We will play our part in this and hope that you will too. Failure to comply with the charter may result in your visit being terminated.

Find a ward

You may bring someone with you if you are attending an outpatient appointment in our hospitals.

Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes prior to your appointment time to minimise overcrowding in our waiting areas. 

Restrictions still apply if a patient has COVID-19, in which case you must call the ward first to see if a visit is possible. 

COVID-19 guidance

Compassionate visiting for adult inpatients means that visiting can occur outside of a ward’s normal visiting hours or in times of restricted or suspended visiting, if the patient meets any of the following criteria:

  • they are dying (last days and hours of life)
  • they have a mental health issue, dementia, a learning disability or autism
  • where the attendance of a key contact will benefit a patient's clinical condition or wellbeing (ward staff will get in touch if a visit will be beneficial)

Please speak to ward staff if compassionate visiting applies to you.

Barnet Hospital

Patients who do not have COVID-19

Can receive visits from 11.30am to 7.30pm

Patients in Barnet Hospital's intensive care unit with COVID-19

Please speak to the nursing team to arrange a visit. For patients on ITU North, call 020 8216 5298 and for ITU South, call 020 8216 4120. 

Royal Free Hospital

Patients who do not have COVID-19

Can receive visits from 12noon to 8pm. 

For patients in the Royal Free Hospital's intensive care unit in respiratory isolation, with COVID-19 or flu

Please speak to the nursing team to arrange a visit by calling 020 7794 0500 ext 24545, from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. 

When visiting our maternity services, please follow the current advice:

Barnet Hospital

  • One partner or companion can attend all antenatal clinic appointments and pregnancy scans.
  • One partner or companion can attend the maternity day unit and triage unit
  • Two birth partners can support women on the labour wards and in the birth centres.
  • One partner or companion can visit throughout a 24-hour period on Victoria ward 
  • One additional partner or companion is permitted on Victoria ward from 2 to 8pm.
  • The second visitor can be a sibling.

North Middlesex University Hospital

  • One partner or companion can attend all antenatal clinic appointments and pregnancy scans.
  • One partner or companion can attend the maternity day unit and triage unit
  • Two birth partners can support women on the labour wards and in the birth centres.
  • One partner or companion can visit throughout a 24-hour period
  • One additional partner or companion is permitted from 2 to 7pm.
  • The second visitor can be a sibling.

Royal Free Hospital

  • One partner or companion can attend all antenatal clinic appointments and pregnancy scans.
  • One partner or companion can attend the and Day Assessment Unit and triage unit.
  • Two birth partners can support women on the labour wards and in the birth centres.
  • One partner or companion can visit throughout a 24-hour period on 5 South
  • One additional partner or companion is permitted on 5 South between 2 to 8pm.
  • The second visitor can be a sibling.

We encourage the involvement of parents and carers in all aspects of their child's care. On our children’s wards:

  • Family members can visit from 8am to 8pm.
  • One adult is allowed to stay overnight with the patient.

Please note, visiting siblings must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.

We are currently accommodating our patients’ needs for a companion as much as possible, but we need to do this as safely as possible for everybody. We also need to take account of overcrowding in the department.

Barnet Hospital

  • Adults are allowed one accompanying visitor in all areas.
  • Due to the space constraints in the paediatric emergency department waiting room at Barnet Hospital, it is requested that children and young people are only accompanied by one parent or carer.
  • At times when capacity is full, to avoid overcrowding in waiting rooms, visitors will be asked to wait outside.
  • Visiting within the department is at the discretion of staff.

Royal Free Hospital

  • Adults are allowed one accompanying visitor in all areas.
  • Visitors may be expected to wait in the relatives’ rooms or waiting areas at times when patients are in the resuscitation room, ambulance assessment area or undergoing scanning/procedures.
  • Children may be accompanied by one or both parents or carers. Please note that parents or carers are expected to take siblings out of the department where more than one adult is present.
  • At times when capacity is full, to avoid overcrowding in waiting rooms, visitors will be asked to wait outside.
  • Visiting within the department is at the discretion of staff.

Service animals

Service dogs are widely accepted in hospitals and the decision to allow entry to the hospital does not necessarily need to involve the infection, prevention, and control (IPC) team. The animal must be kept on a leash and not wander freely on the premise but sit or lie quietly on the floor next to their owner. All service animals are brought into the hospital at the owner’s risk.

If the owner wishes to visit a patient in a clinical area, they must report directly to the nurses’ station first and visiting will be at the discretion of the nurse in charge, depending on the condition of the patient in question and other patients in the surrounding area.

In the following circumstances restriction of visits by service animals will be considered on a case-by-case basis:

  • The patient is in isolation for respiratory, enteric, or other infection, or is in protective isolation.
  • The patient is immunocompromised or shares a bay with an immunocompromised patient.
  • The patient is in ICU, burns unit or other restricted-access units of the hospital.
  • The patient or those sharing the same bay has an allergy or phobia to the animal.
  • The patient or those sharing a bay are psychotic, hallucinating or confused.

Pets

Pets are generally not permitted to accompany or visit their owners in hospital unless they are a trained service animal. Exceptions can be made in extenuating circumstances. A written request asking for a pet to be brought into hospital must be provided to the ward/department for manager consideration.

More information