Your health

Only one family member or friend, chosen by the patient or their guardian, carer or power of attorney can visit at present.

Visiting arrangements will be organised as flexibly as possible to ensure the safety of patients, family and staff.

There may be situations where staff may have to ask you to step outside the ward temporarily or to leave the ward during your visit. We will always explain when this is necessary. Your support and understanding when this is necessary is appreciated to ensure everyone’s safety and privacy.

The person providing support can be changed if required. Examples of when this may happen include:

• if a person in hospital needs support from a different person for a variety of reasons, or
• if the person who has been providing support becomes unwell, needs a rest or is unable to visit for some other reason.

However, changing the named person multiple times in a day or perhaps daily would not be expected in normal circumstances.

If you are chosen to visit, please contact the ward to arrange a visit in advance. It is important that you do not come to the ward without an appointment – we may need to ask you to leave and come back at another time.

Telephone numbers for wards and departments are listed on each hospital page, or alternatively contact the hospital switchboard.

It is important that we continue to limit the number of people present in the ward at any one time. To help manage this there are maximum numbers of people permitted in a room at any one time to ensure we can all follow physical distancing rules.

We understand in some cases, the family member chosen to visit may need to be accompanied by another person, for example a child visiting a parent or sibling, or a frail elderly person who cannot attend the hospital independently. The presence of this additional person will be facilitated – ward staff will explain how this will be supported.

COVID-19 is still with us and can be transmitted easily. To reduce risks careful attention to infection prevention and control measures around family support still need to be maintained.
There are many vulnerable patients in our hospital wards and in particular, some types of illness and types of treatments where we need to proceed with extreme caution, ensure a risk assessment is undertaken appropriately, and reassessed as and when circumstances change.

If a visit is not possible, we will provide you with an explanation why this is necessary. We will keep this under review where possible and will reassess as circumstances change.

If there is a need to further restrict visiting to a particular ward or area for example due to an outbreak of COVID-19 or rapidly increasing community transmission, essential visits will continue. Further information about essential visits is available on the NHSGGC website.

If you cannot visit in person, please use technology such as social media and phone calls to stay in touch. If the person you want to speak to does not have access to their own phone or tablet, please access our Person Centred Virtual Visiting service.

All wards have iPads specially set up to enable ‘virtual visits’ (video call) allowing patients to see and talk to the people who matter to them using FaceTime, Skype or Zoom.

To help keep everyone safe, we strongly recommend that all visitors undertake voluntary lateral flow testing prior to visiting. It is then recommended you undertake the test twice per week for as long as you are the named visitor.

This is optional – if you do not wish to have a test or are not able to test this will not be an obstacle to a visit.

Information on how to order Lateral Flow Tests is on the Scottish Government’s website.

On your arrival at the ward and every time you visit the ward, staff will check that you are well and ask you some questions about your health to make sure it is safe for you to visit. They will ask you the following questions:

• Are you feeling unwell?
• Do you have new/continuous cough?
• Have you had any sickness or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours?
• Have you noticed a change in your temperature?
• Have you noticed a change in your normal sense of taste or smell?
• Are you self-isolating because you have been in contact with anyone suspected as having, or has tested positive for COVID-19?

You will not be allowed to visit if you do not pass this safety check.

It is essential you do not visit if you have a persistent cough, loss of taste or smell, flu like symptoms or fever.

It’s also important that you do not visit if you have symptoms of other respiratory infections, including: a runny nose, congestion in your nose or lungs, a sore throat, headache, cough, repeated sneezing, breathlessness, wheezing or chest tightness, muscle aches, tiredness, or shortness of breath.

It is important for your safety and for the safety of patients and staff that you do the following:

• Face covering/mask must be worn at all times, unless there is a reason why you cannot.
• Avoid communal gatherings in public areas of the hospital. Take the stairs if possible to avoid congregating in lift lobbies. Your movement around other areas of the hospital must be limited as much as is reasonably possible
• Clean your hands using the hand sanitiser before and after you leave the ward or department and when you touch anything.
• Two metres distance should be maintained from others.
• Self-isolate – You MUST NOT attend if you are unwell, if you are a household contact or have otherwise been informed that you are a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and have been advised to self-isolate or have to self-isolate for another reason.

Respiratory hygiene also remains important, covering the nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when sneezing, coughing, wiping or blowing the nose. These should be disposed of immediately in the bin and hand washing performed immediately afterwards.

There might be situations where staff will need to ask you to use PPE – such as a face mask, apron, gloves etc. If this is required, the staff will help you to put this on correctly and to dispose of it before you leave.

If you are a family member or carer for the person, you are visiting and helping to support aspects of their care such as supporting nutritional intake at meal times, or other personal care you will be provided with necessary PPE to undertake this activity.

You are able to touch your relative or friend (for example, hold their hand, hug or kiss them) – however, please remember that keeping a 2 metre distance wherever possible will reduce the chances of COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses spreading to you, your relative or friend, other patients, and staff.

Please check with the ward staff first. It may be possible to go a walk to the main communal areas of the hospital or hospital grounds as long as social distancing measures and the wearing of a face covering is adhered to.

Retail outlets and hospital dining facilities are open on all our hospital sites. If using any of these facilities, you must make sure you take all the necessary safety measures required – wear you face mask, maintain a 2 metre social distance, provide your contact details for Trace and Protect, apply hand sanitiser on entry and when leaving the facility etc.

Where possible you should use the toilet facilities provided for members of the public. It is preferred that you do not use patient and staff toilets, unless there is no other option available.

The majority of wards across NHSGGC have a person centred approach to visiting, meaning that patients are able to have:

• Support in hospital from the people who matter to them. This no longer needs to be limited to the same two people visiting, however we may sometimes need to limit the numbers of family members who can visit at any one time, so physical distancing rules can be followed.
• Conversations with staff and family on admission and throughout the hospital stay to discuss who they would like to visit and when.
• Family support at times when patients wish the presence, help and support of the people who matter to them. For example at mealtimes, rehabilitation sessions, discharge planning and during multidisciplinary team conversations.

Due to changes in COVID-19 community prevalence and hospital admissions, there may sometimes be variation to this approach. Updates and changes will be published on this page and also on our Hospital visiting pages as the occur.

The following are examples of where an ‘essential visit’ will be supported for family members: 

• when someone is reaching the end of their life
• if someone has dementia and needs family support
• support for someone with a learning disability
• a family member who has caring responsibilities
• parents of a child in hospital
• support during pregnancy and childbirth, including outpatient appointments, ante-natal and post-natal care
• situations where someone is receiving life-changing information.

This list is not exhaustive. A flexible and compassionate approach will always guide decision making.

Person Centred Virtual Visiting (video calls) is in place to help people maintain contact with their relatives/friends, when in-person visits are not possible. People can see and talk to those who matter to them using NHS Near Me / Attend Anywhere. You can access this on mobile phones, laptops or computers. iPads are available on all wards if you do not have, or are unable to use, your own device.

For more information, please visit our Person Centred Virtual Visiting webpage.

Please do not hesitate to speak to with ward staff if you have any questions. You can find Ward and Department telephone numbers on the NHSGGC website.

We can provide support for adults who have lost a loved one to cancer who was treated at the at the West of Scotland Beatson Cancer Centre or other West of Scotland hospital. We can provide support at any point following a death. We provide one to one support by telephone, run an in person group support programme, and can provide information and signposting. 

The Family Bereavement Support Team is here for those who have experienced loss at the children’s and maternity hospitals in Glasgow. 

Based in the comforting surroundings of Crossbasket House, family bereavement practitioners Kristin, Lyn and Fiona offer structured support sessions for families facing the unimaginable grief of losing a child. 

Crossbasket House is part of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, which has funded bereavement support at the hospital since 2018. The Charity is here for every step of a family’s journey through the hospital, including times of loss. 

Whether face-to-face in the welcoming environment of Crossbasket House, by phone or online, the team support parents, families and siblings in individual or group sessions as they navigate their most difficult days. 

Contact Us 

• Phone: 0800 008 6072 
• Email: familybereavementsupport@crossbaskethouse.org 

This leaflet will guide you through what to expect and what can happen when someone is at the end of their life.

What can happen when someone is dying (Latest English language version)

Alternative language versions (please note these are the previous version of the booklet)

What can happen when someone is dying (Arabic)

What can happen when someone is dying (Mandarin)

What can happen when someone is dying (Polish)

What can happen when someone is dying (Punjabi)

What can happen when someone is dying (Urdu)

When someone close to you dies, you may be unsure what to do. This leaflet will help you understand:

• What you need to do
• How you may feel.

An NHS Healthcare Chaplain is always on-call and ward staff can arrange for them to be paged. 

Arrangements for Death Certification may have changed due to Covid-19. Local Authority websites should have the latest information from your area.

Can offer advice on installing disability equipment, information on benefits and other services.

EQUIPU is a service responsible for providing, delivering and installing a range of disability equipment supplied by health and social work services to disabled people living at home.

For further information or to arrange uplift contact:

Telephone. 0141 287 6300

Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief is working to make Scotland a place where there is more openness about death, dying and bereavement so that:

• People are aware of ways to live with death, dying and bereavement
• People feel better equipped to support each other through the difficult times that can come with death, dying and bereavement.

Lifelink offers a range of stress services for adults and young people in communities and schools across Glasgow City.

Living Life is a free telephone service available to anyone over the age of 16 who is suffering from low mood, mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety.

NHS Inform Bereavement area can help you find answers to your questions and guide you through the early days of your bereavement. It can also help you understand more of the experience of loss in the days that lie ahead.

New grief and bereavement service for families in Renfrewshire. Visit the website for more information:

• ARC – Antenatal Results & Choices
• British Heart Foundation bereavement resources
• Calman Cancer Support Centre (Cancer Support Scotland)
• Child Bereavement UK
• Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS)
• Compassionate friends – Dealing with death of a child
• Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
• Dying Matters
• Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH)
• Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief
• Maggies Centres Bereavement Support
• Miscarriage Association
• Muslim Bereavement Service
• PETAL – People experiencing Trauma and Loss
• Planning Your Own Funeral leaflet – Scottish Government website
• Procurator Fiscal – Information on Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is published on SAD website
• Richmond’s Hope
• SANDS Stillbirth & Neonatal death charity
• Scottish Cot Death Trust
• SOBS – Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
• Sudden – Supporting people after sudden death
• The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (Advice on Tissue donation) 

If you are overweight or have type 2 diabetes, it is important to follow a healthy diet.

Having Diabetes does not mean you are more likely to catch coronavirus (COVID-19). However, if you do catch coronavirus (COVID-19), it can cause more severe symptoms and complications. Diabetes UK provide specific advice for people with diabetes, their family and friends.

For people with diabetes or a BMI of 40 or above it is very important to maintain a healthy weight or lose some weight. This may seem very challenging due to the current restrictions but there are lots of useful resources to help (see information in the boxes below).

Glasgow and Clyde Weight Management Services are targeted at adults, aged 18 and over, with existing health conditions that will be improved by losing weight. If you have:

• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Have previously had a Stroke
• Have a BMI of >30

You can self-refer to the weight management service by calling 0141 211 3379 or completing our online referral form.

For young people between 12 to 18 the Weight to Go programme is currently operating a waiting list.

At this time, it is especially important to eat well and be a healthy weight to keep you and your households healthy.

You may be preparing and cooking more meals at home. Food Standards Scotland has useful information on food safety to help make sure the food you cook and eat won’t do you any harm.

If you are looking for meal ideas that are low cost, quick and easy to prepare Eat Better Feel Better recipes are free to access and also has meal planners and cook-a-long videos. Love Food Hate Waste also have lots of recipes and information and tips on reducing food waste.

Information on the benefits of a healthy diet can be accessed on NHS Inform Food and Nutrition.

Practical help and great resources to help you lose weight are available. Have a look at our Eat Well Feel Good Look Great Lose weight practical guide or try the new NHS Inform 12 week online weight management programme.

Keeping active during this difficult time can be challenging, but help and advice on staying active and well is available.

This is a challenging time and will cause worry for some households. We have gathered local information on the COVID-19 response to food. It provides information on how to access food including the newly established community hubs, food aid, meal providers, information for specific groups such as shielded households and those entitled to free school meals.

Find information and support to access food in your area.

COVID-19 might affect you financially. Our Money Worries page provides information about COVID-19 and your finances, changes to benefits claims and the support services available.

Pregnant women and families who have children aged up to three years old on low income might be entitled to Best Start Food benefits.

Many people are being asked to stay at home if they are shielding or self-isolating. During these measures you may want to take a vitamin supplement containing vitamin D.

The Scottish Government are currently advising people to stay at home. This may mean staying indoors for much of the day which could result in not getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight. During stay at home restrictions, guidance on vitamin D has been revised to reflect the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. National information on shielding can be found on the NHS Inform site.

Everyone (including children and pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. This is especially important for people who are indoors all of the time for bone and muscle health. More information is available via the Scottish Government website.

Vitamin D supplements can be purchased at most supermarkets and pharmacies. If you are self-isolating or shielding and are unable to go to the shops help is available in your area.

All pregnant women are entitled to free Healthy Start vitamins, which contain Vitamin D from your midwife. Women and children who qualify for the Best Start Foods scheme in Scotland can get free Healthy Start vitamins containing the recommended amounts of vitamin D from your community pharmacy. Healthy Start vitamins are also available to purchase if you do not qualify for Best Start Food

People aged 70 or older are more at risk from COVID-19 and should follow social distancing measures to keep safe.

Age Scotland has compiled advice for older people and their families on how to avoid exposure to the virus, and includes advice on shopping. Age Scotland also have a helpline Telephone: 0800 12 44 222.

Local community support is also available for those who require assistance to access food and support. Please see our local information and support.

Support is available for anyone who has been hospitalised due to COVID-19.

Our Support and Information Service (SIS) provides support and information on a range of issues including money advice, energy and carers support. We also provide an emergency food discharge pack for vulnerable inpatients being discharged from QEUH, GRI and RAH who either have no food at home or are unable to food shop due to COVID-19.

We will also make onward referrals to services providing food shopping and medicine deliveries.

Find out more about feeding your baby and starting solids.

As we all follow Government advice to limit our social activities, we can continue being physically active. If you are well, a daily routine which includes physical activity can help you feel less anxious and help you sleep better.

If you are unwell, use all your energy to get better and don’t try to do too much.  When you’re getting better, return to your normal activities gradually.

Being outside in the fresh air and green space can help reduce stress and make us feel better. Unless you are self-isolating, you can walk, jog, run or cycle outside on your own, as long as you keep 2 metres (three paces) away from other people.

Walking is a great simple form of physical activity. Tracking your steps with a pedometer, a fitness tracker or a phone app can help you keep you motivated to stay active.

World Walking – Download the free app or visit the website and try to virtually walk your way around a number of routes from across the world.

Active 10 App – free app to help you get into the habit of walking briskly for 10 minutes every day. You can also connect with other others to spur each other on.

You don’t need a gym or special equipment to be active, there are lots of things you can do at home to help you stay active. 

These online activities are designed for kids to get active, but can be used by the whole family:

There’s little doubt that the days ahead will be challenging both mentally and physically for all of us. Pressure of this type can help us perform at our best, with focus and skill, however we also need ways to take care of ourselves, and to balance the effects of stress.

No matter how experienced or calm we are, a crisis like this will activate our fight and flight response to threat. This is completely normal. Our threat system is programmed to protect us in a short term emergency. However when the cascade of activity triggered in our fight or flight system goes on at a high level for a lengthy period it can cause us significant health issues, can lower our immunity and lead to burnout. We can feel panic and want to run, perhaps become nippy and irritable, or simply freeze and want to hide. These are all normal reactions in intensely stressful situations.

Mindfulness can help us notice when our stress levels are becoming more toxic. We can learn how to create a pause, even for a few moments, and check in with ourselves. We can cultivate skills to help us step out of automatic and really notice how we are in any moment. This can help us respond appropriately to the challenges of a constantly changing situation. Mindfulness can also strengthen our ability to fully focus on one thing at a time, doing the best we can. A mindful pause can help when we need to make decisions and to know when to ask for help.

The STOP process can act as a foundation to finding a mindful pause:

Stop! Tune in to the soles of your feet contacting the floor, noticing the feeling of pressure and support even if your feet are aching. This can help with a sense of steadiness and grounding…arriving in the present moment. Your feet are as far away as possible from a racing mind.

Take a few slower and deeper breaths, as best as you can, doing this gently without a sense of forcing or intensity. If it helps you may like to count to 4 as you breathe in and then out, noticing if you can begin to lengthen your out-breath to 6 or 8.

Observe how you are in this moment, asking ‘How is my body feeling, can I release tension from any part?  Where is my mind, anxiously racing ahead, trying to chase the’ to do’ list, catastrophising? How am I feeling, can I allow myself to feel whatever is here and bring some kindness to myself and others?’

Proceed. The intensity of the situation may not have changed; however, you may be able to relate to it with a little more awareness, steadiness and kindly understanding towards yourself and those around you.

Further support

With our lives drastically changed, there could be an increase in alcohol consumption for some.

The chief medical officer’s advice for adults aged 18 and over is:

• To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
• If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread your drinking evenly over 3 or more days.
• If you have one or two heavy drinking episodes a week, you increase your risk of death from long term illness and from accidents and injuries.
• The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis.

If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink free days each week.

If you want to find out more information or are looking for advice or support, visit:

Call: 0141 577 3093. The helpline is open Monday to Friday 8.45am – 4.45pm (excluding bank holidays), or email shielding@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

For clear information on shielding including what it is, who it applies to, how to access help and other FAQs, visit:

Non-shielding residents are directed to the East Renfrewshire Community Hub where volunteers are helping other vulnerable and isolated residents

The Community Hub helpline is 0141 876 9555 and is open Monday to Friday, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Call: 0800 111 4000. The helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. Or email shielding@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Information is hosted on their dedicated Coronavirus web pages: East Dunbarton residents council democracy coronavirus-covid-19.

For clear information on shielding including what it is, who it applies to, how to access help and other FAQs, visit:

Residents who require support but are not shielding are clearly directed to the East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA) who are working in partnership with the providers of the Older People’s Advice Line (OPAL) to support those who need some extra help.

They can be contacted on 0141 438 2347. The helpline is open 7 days a week from 9.00am – 5.00pm

Call the helpline on: 0141 276 1185, 7 days a week, 9am – 5pm

Or email: ShieldingResponse@glasgow.gov.uk

For information on shielding visit:

There is an extensive FAQs section on shielding to support residents. 

For those who are not shielding, they are directed to the Community Hub for Glasgow, which has been set up by Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and the Health and Social Care Partnership. The Hub provides information on local groups and organisations in your area that can provide support for a wide range of activities, including accessing food and picking up medication.

Residents can contact the Community Hub on 0141 345 0543, Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.00pm. Or visit:

Call the helpline on: 0300 300 0230, 7 days a week, 8.45am – 4.45pm

Or email: Shielding.Support.Referrals@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

The free helpline is available on 0800 111 4000, Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.00pm.

For shielding information visit:

Call the community helpline on: 0800 111 4000, Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Call the helpline on: 01389 738282 (option 5) or visit

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