I was reminded recently when I was updating on visiting regulations at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) during the pandemic how important that facility is to both patients and relatives.
Nursing staff have always had mixed views on visiting, some view it as a chance to catch up with paperwork, others an interruption to the ward routine.
For the patients it is an essential part of their hospital stay, breaking up the daily routine and keeping in touch with family and friends.
[caption id="attachment_6923" align="aligncenter" width="980"] Porters Lodge in 1841[/caption] In the 1800s all visitors would come into the infirmary through the gates on the Billing Road.
They had to knock on the door of the Porter’s Lodge to gain admittance.
After he had checked with matron or the physician they would then be allowed on to the premises.
In 1833 a new ruling stated that visitors were to leave their baskets at the lodge because there had been a spate of thefts where the visitors were stealing the patient’s food.
The possible explanation for this was that the patients were better fed in hospital in contrast to the relatives visiting them.
Visiting times were limited, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1pm-4pm and then in 1844 this extended to every afternoon, with the exception of Sunday.
Mr Milligan, consultant surgeon, complained in 1899 that there was not a suitable shelter for waiting visitors.
So, the stables to the right of the gates were converted into a waiting room.
At Manfield Orthopaedic Hospital and Creaton Sanatorium in the early 20th century visiting was only once a week.
Visitors were faced with protracted journeys by public transport to spend a precious two hours visiting a relative or friend.
The reason for the stringent visiting hours was because of the risk of infection, mainly from tuberculosis between the two parties.
At Northampton General visiting regulations became more relaxed and when the porter’s lodge was removed in 1913 to make way for the King Edward V11 memorial, the gates then remained unlocked.
A nurse who trained in the 1950s recalls: “Visiting was for one hour on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, then an hour in the evening during the week.
Children’s ward was different, more relaxed.
Screens were put across the ward doors until opening time at 2pm; then on the dot of 3pm, a hand bell and to reinforce that, a nurse, desperate to get rid of the visitors would shout ‘TIME PLEASE.’ Then there were the lingering goodbyes.
After that, domestic jobs for the nurses, finding vases or jam jars for flowers and bowls for the grapes.” [caption id="attachment_6924" align="aligncenter" width="980"] Visiting time on Knightley Ward in 1957[/caption] Over time visiting regulations became far more relaxed as medical staff realised the importance of this facility.
Flowers brought in were eventually banned, as a potential infection risk, much to the relief of the nursing staff, one less non-nursing duty.
Before the pandemic visiting hours were generous and the biggest challenge for visitors was finding a parking space at the hospital!
Visiting at the moment is strictly monitored and on an appointment basis only and we all hope at some point next year it will return to some form of normality.
Sue Longworth Museum and Archive at NGH