RHC Glasgow Emergency Department: One Parent Policy
Royal Hospital for Children for Patients, Carers & Visitors
The Emergency Department at RHC Glasgow has had an increasing attendance rate year on year. Waiting areas can be very busy, especially during evenings, with patients waiting for triage or waiting for assessment by a clinician. We have staff tasked with observing these patients to ensure that patients who deteriorate are recognised and dealt with promptly.
We have had to implement a one parent per child policy to limit the overall number of people in our waiting areas.
Reasons for policy:
- To allow staff tasked with observing patients as clear a view as possible to be able to recognise deterioration
- To allow staff to move around the waiting areas, especially if an emergency was to occur
- To allow for safer and quicker evacuation should the need arise
We will provide parents/other family members with alternative waiting areas within the hospital and additional parents/family members will be allowed to join their child when they are in a cubicle, and therefore will not miss out on any information given. Exceptions will be made if there are extenuating circumstances.
This policy is for the safety of all patients attending the Emergency Department, and we thank everyone for their co-operation.
