Visiting arrangements
At NHS Fife, we warmly welcome family, friends, and carers as essential partners in care. We believe that your presence and support can make a real difference to the wellbeing and recovery of your loved ones.
A person-centred approach to visiting
We don’t have fixed visiting hours. Instead, we offer a flexible, person-centred approach that puts the needs and preferences of patients first.
This means:
- Patients choose who they want to visit and support them
- Visits can happen at times that suit the patient and their care team
- Family and carers are encouraged to be involved in care, including mealtimes and rehabilitation
If you are unsure about when to visit, please speak to the ward team. They will be happy to help.
Essential visiting
Essential visiting is in operation in a small number of our wards currently.
The following are currently permitted only for essential visiting. Note that this list is updated daily so if you are in any doubt about whether you can visit, please do not hesitate to contact the ward and nurse in charge to discuss your personal circumstances.
No restrictions
Updated: Thursday 11 June 2026
What to expect when you visit
To help keep everyone safe:
Please do not visit if you feel unwell or have symptoms such as a sore throat, cough, fever, diarrhoea, or vomiting.
Hand hygiene is important. Please use the hand gel provided or wash your hands with soap and water.
To promote a calm environment, we may kindly ask that there are no more than two visitors at a bed space at any one time. This helps us balance the needs of each patient and their family while keeping the clinical area comfortable for all.
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Keeping your hands clean is key to stopping the spread of infection.
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Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing, coughing, wiping and blowing your nose. Use a disposable tissue, then wash your hands with water and soap.
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Hand rub alone is not effective against Norovirus. Wash hands frequently and throughly with water and soap.
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Norovirus can cause sickness and diarrhoea and is very infectious. Stay home until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
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Apply Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) in all care settings, at all times, for all individuals.
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Feeling unwell? To stop the spread of infection, avoid unnecessary contact with others.
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Get vaccinated, get protected. Vaccines can help to protect yourself and those in your care.
Special considerations
We understand that every situation is unique. That is why we offer tailored support for:
- End of Life Care - Supporting patient, family and carer wishes
- Mental Health/Learning Disabilities - visiting plans are personalised and reviewed regularly.
- Maternity and neonatal care - birth partners and parents are considered essential caregivers.
- Children visiting – we support safe and meaningful visits for children with strong connections to the patient.
- Sensory loss or communication needs – we provide transparent masks and virtual visiting options where needed.
This position will be kept under regular review.
Wash your hands and use hand gels provided, particularly when you arrive and leave
Please do not visit your friends and loved ones if you feel unwell
Movement around the hospital will be limited - please do not visit other patients
Visitors should not bring in food parcels, flowers, helium balloons or similar items
Whilst no longer mandatory, you will be fully supported if you choose to wear a mask when visiting
Virtual visiting
If you can’t visit in person, we can help you stay connected through video calls. Most wards have tablets available, and staff can assist with setting up a virtual visit.
Infection prevention and safety
We follow national guidance to keep everyone safe. In some areas, like those with immunosuppressed patients, additional precautions may apply. If there is an outbreak, temporary restrictions may be introduced, we will keep you informed.
Need help or have questions?
Please speak to the ward staff they are here to support you and make your visit as smooth and meaningful as possible.
