Hospital visiting: guidance for health boards

Enabling family support for people in hospital in Scotland.


Maternity and neonatal

Key principles for visiting as set out earlier in this guidance are also applicable within maternity and neonatal settings. It is important to highlight that birth partners supporting women during hospital visits and parents/primary caregivers in neonatal care, provide essential support and should not be considered “visitors”. 

These key principles apply to other settings where a pregnant woman may attend for a pregnancy related matter such as the Accident and Emergency Department or within the community such as a GP practice, as well as maternity and neonatal settings.

The Best Start: A five Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care was published in 2017. It sets out a future vision for maternity and neonatal care which focuses on putting women, babies and families at the centre of maternity and neonatal care to ensure they receive the highest quality of care according to their needs. 

Contact

If you have feedback on this guidance please email: HQIBMT@gov.scot

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