Patients at the University Hospital of North Durham and other trust sites will see open visiting begin from Monday, 1 June 2026, as the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust moves to a more flexible daily policy. Loved ones can now visit between 10:30am and 7:30pm every day, a shift designed to give patients greater freedom to spend time with family during their stay.
Gill Hunt, Chief Nurse for the trust, said the change recognises that family connections play a vital role in patient wellbeing and recovery. For the first time, children are explicitly welcomed as visitors during the daily window. Young visitors must be supervised at all times and may need to be planned for in certain clinical areas, while anyone feeling unwell should stay away. The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is asking no more than two people to visit at once.
Staff will continue to uphold infection prevention measures and may occasionally ask visitors to step out briefly if care or rest is needed. The guidance, which applies across University Hospital of North Durham, Darlington Memorial Hospital, and all other trust locations, asks families to follow any clinical direction so that safety and dignity remain front and centre. Hospital leaders have thanked patients and communities for helping to maintain a compassionate environment.
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