Visiting Hours

As with standard international and national practice, Groote Schuur limits the influx of non-staff and patients into the hospital. This is aimed at ensuring that members of the public do not interfere with the normal running of the hospital, and thereby compromise the high quality of care that Groote Schuur provides to its patients.

This page specifies in clear, unambiguous language the rules that are to be followed by family and friends (that is, non-staff and non-patient members of the public) when visiting a patient in the hospital. Visiting times are also listed. Please be sure to follow the rules stipulated below, and plan your visits accordingly.

General Rules for visitors

  • When visiting, all visitors should keep to the times displayed at all visitors’ entrances to Groote Schuur.
  • A maximum of three guests are allowed per patient at any given time in the general wards. Please take note of this number: if more than 3 guests are present in a ward, staff will ask some visitors to leave. This may mean that you’ll have to wait your turn to visit a close friend or family member. Perhaps buy a tablet computer to keep yourself entertained while waiting.
  • A maximum of two guests will be allowed into the maternity wards and Intensive Care Units (ICU); if these numbers are exceeded, guests will be asked to leave.
  • Due to concerns with regards to keeping patients away from potential viruses and infections, as well as to behavioural issues, children under the age of 12 will not be permitted to visit patients unless the patient is a sibling or parent.
  • All children should be supervised by a competent adult.
  • The Sister-in-Charge of a ward must be consulted before a baby is brought into the ward. Generally, babies are not allowed into a ward unless the patient is a parent.
  • The Sister-in-Charge reserves the right to ask visitors to leave a ward if the patient experiences distress or if the patient’s condition deteriorates.
  • Whereas visiting times are specified, nursing staff reserve the right to restrict times if it is considered to be in the patient’s interest.
  • The end of visiting hours is usually signalled by the ringing of a bell or by an announcement over a public-address system/intercom.

Visiting Hours

Groote Schuur reserves the right to restrict visiting hours without prior notice if the need arises. Unless otherwise stated, the following times are the visiting hours for various wards:

General Wards

  • 14h00-16h00
  • 19h00-20h00

Emergency Wards/ Trauma Unit

  • 15h00-16h00
  • 19h00-20h00

Intensive Care Unit Complex

  • 11h00-12h00
  • 15h00-16h00
  • 19h00-20h00

Maternity Wards

  • 15h00-16h30
  • 19h00-20h00
  • Guests of the maternity ward are restricted to the father of the baby, one significant other person (family and close friends), and siblings of the baby that are older than 2 years of age.

Labour Ward

  • Only one person is allowed to accompany a birthing mother in the labour ward. Immediately following the birth, the patient’s mother will be allowed in as a second person.

Neonatal Unit

  • Neonates may only receive two guests at a time; these guests are restricted to the parents and grandparents. Unless the baby is ill, parents may visit the new born at any time of day up until 21h00. If the neonate is ill, parents may have 24 hour access to their child.

Psychiatry

  • Wards C22, C23: No visiting unless prearranged with the relevant Sister-in-Charge
  • Ward G22: 19h00-20h00

Open Visiting Hours

  • Open visiting is between 09h00-20h00, and applies to: stroke patients in E7; oncology patients in G7, G8; acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) patients in D15; critically ill patients (by prior arrangement).