Face masks have been reintroduced for all patients, visitors and staff at King’s Mill Hospital.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has reintroduced the requirement at all of its sites following an increase in Covid-19 cases locally.

The decision comes just weeks after the trust stepped down the use of face masks at its hospitals on June 13.

The reintroduction of face masks took effect on Tuesday (June 28).

Phil Bolton, chief nurse for Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “At the time we cautiously stepped down the requirement to wear a mask and we said we’d keep transmission rates under constant review and reintroduce measures if necessary.

“As cases have risen, it’s vital that we take decisive action to protect our most vulnerable patients, visitors and colleagues to ensure we can keep vital services running for all those that need them over the coming weeks.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their continued support and ask everyone to wear a mask when asked to do so across our hospitals.”

Sherwood Forest Hospitals said visiting arrangements remain unchanged but staff, visitors and patients are still required to social distance – one metre in non-clinical and outpatient areas and a distance of two metres on wards.

In a statement , the trust said: “People who are preparing to visit are urged not to do so if they have any signs of illness, particularly if they have any cold, flu or Covid-like symptoms, diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the past three days, or if they have been in contact with anyone who has had these types of illnesses.”

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