Before you visit

Visiting arrangements

Extended visiting hours are between 11am and 8pm, seven days a week, meaning visitors can stay as long as they wish.

Visitors’ charter – what you need to know

Our visitors’ charter gives guidance on how visitors can support patients they are visiting and our people by; bringing in items patients may need such as toiletries, clothes and footwear; agreeing visiting times with other friends and family; being mindful of duties our people need to carry out whilst visiting, and maintaining good hygiene such as using hand gel when entering and exiting the wards. It also reminds visitors to be polite to everyone, any violence or aggression towards our staff will not be tolerated and we will take robust action. The charter also summarises what is expected of our people.

Download our visitors’ charter.

Visitors’ charter – video summary

Ward visiting times and restrictions

We have an extended visiting hours policy, meaning visitors can stay as long as they wish between 11am and 8pm, seven days a week.

Two visitors are permitted on the majority of our wards, however due to space restrictions, some wards can only permit one visitor at a time.

If you are planning to visit an inpatient, please refer to the table below. Use this link to access the latest guidance for each ward.

We continue to offer unrestricted visiting for patients who are at the end of life, and for patients including those with dementia, learning difficulties or those who need the assistance of a carer. Please speak to our ward teams for further assistance and information.

Critical care, maternity and children’s areas:

Please use the following links to access the latest information and guidance for visiting these wards:

• Critical Care Unit
• Maternity
• Children’s Ward (Dolphin Ward)

Covid guidance for visitors

You must not attend any area of the hospital if you have symptoms of Covid (whether you have tested positive or not) or have been in contact with anyone who has tested Covid positive in the last seven days.

Patients (whether attending as an inpatient or outpatient), visitors and members of the public are not required to wear face masks in the hospital, unless you are visiting a patient with a suspected or confirmed respiratory infection or are visiting a patient on a ward with a COVID-19 outbreak, in which case you will be required to do so.

Face masks are available at all entrances to the hospital.

Visiting outpatients and attending the Emergency Department

Our patients may be accompanied by visitors to support them in outpatient, diagnostic services and Emergency Department (ED) settings. During very busy times, due to the capacity of the area, you may be asked to wait outside the department until the patient is called for their appointment to enable our seating areas to be prioritised for patients.     

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

In some settings, you may be required to wear PPE. Our teams will guide and support you. Going to the toilet and having had a small drink before putting on PPE can help avoid the need to remove it and put it back on during the visit.

Please remember that the emergency department (ED) is for patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries. If you do not have a serious or life-threatening illness or injury, there are a range of services available for you. This includes NHS 111, Urgent Treatment Centres, your GP or pharmacy. You can access more information here.

Norovirus (vomiting bug)

Please do not visit our hospitals if you have been unwell with sickness and/or diarrhoea, or you have been in contact with someone with these symptoms, until at least 48 hours after experiencing the last symptom.

Norovirus can spread very easily from person to person – please protect our patients and people by not visiting our hospitals until you are better.

Filming and photography

We recognise, whilst at our hospital, our patients or their families may wish to mark an occasion, such as the birth of a baby, with a photograph or video. While we support this, we have a duty to ensure that the privacy of other individuals within our hospital is respected.

Our patients or their families may take photos of themselves for personal reasons and for their own personal use only. Before any filming or photography is conducted:

• Consent and permission for the images to be taken must be given by the senior nurse or matron on duty
• Consent must also be sought from the patient or individual in the photo or video. Consent can only be obtained if the patient or individual has the capacity to give it. If they do not have the capacity to give consent, then the filming or photography must not be taken
• It is not permitted for any patient, carer, or visitor to film or photograph our staff or any part of the premises without written consent
• Patients, carers, and visitors found to be breaching this policy could be asked to leave the premises, which may result in police intervention and/or legal proceedings

Please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service for more information by calling 01279 827211 or email [email protected].

NHS Wi-Fi

We offer a free NHS Wi-Fi service to all patients, visitors and guests at The Princess Alexandra Hospital main site in Harlow.

Getting to and from the hospital

Please visit the how to get to The Princess Alexandra Hospital section of our website for the most up-to-date information on getting here by car, bus or train. 

Map – The Princess Alexandra Hospital

You can also download a copy of the site map here.

Where to go for help

Please remember that the emergency department (ED) is for patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries. If you do not have a serious or life-threatening illness or injury, there are a range of services available for you. This includes NHS 111, Urgent Treatment Centres, your GP or pharmacy. You can access more information here.