Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS trusts in England have continued restrictions on visitation rights for patients' families since the covid-19 outbreak.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

The Government encourages every provider to ensure visits can take place recognising the crucial role of visiting in the wellbeing and care of patients.

In May 2022, Amanda Pritchard wrote to all NHS Trusts instructing them to return to pre-COVID-19 visitation policies. NHS England’s guidance states that providers are expected to facilitate visits “for at least one hour a day and ideally longer” and to do so in a risk-managed way.