Limerick maternity hospital eases visitor restrictions
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University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) has relaxed its tight visitor restrictions which had been in place since covid.
Calls had been made to lift the restrictions which caused distress to patients who were only allowed to nominate one support person — a decision which at the time could not be reversed.
Now, UMHL has changed its policy to allow a second nominated visitor to inpatient wards.
As a result, the hospital now allows two people to visit between 2pm and 4pm, in addition to the nominated person, who has permission to visit between 8am and 9pm.
Earlier this month, the maternity hospital had confirmed in a statement that it was “finalising a new review of the policy to allow a second nominated visitor to inpatient wards during visiting hours 4pm to 6pm. We expect this to come into effect before the end of October 2024”.
The move was welcomed by Limerick councillor, Shane Hickey-O’Mara who had introduced a motion on it at a council meeting.
He said: “In the run up to introducing this motion, I spoke to many parents who had difficult experiences as a result of restrictions in UMHL.
"They shared the isolation and loneliness they felt in addition to the damaging effects that this had on their mental health and that of their families.”
Once the motion passed, it “snowballed” and he was contacted by more parents in the Mid-West.
Although the tight restrictions have been changed, not everyone is permitted to visit.
Mr Hickey-O’Mara said: “Disappointingly, under-16s are still not permitted to visit, posing difficulties for families without external childcare and those women who have extended stays in UMHL, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction and an example of how grassroots campaigns can achieve real change.”