A NORTH East actress has decried the lack of visiting rights available to families of patients at a hospital in the region as, “appalling”, so far into the Covid pandemic

Denise Welch took to Twitter to voice her concerns over the continued inability for loved ones to attend South Tyneside District Hospital, to see patients.

 

In a video recorded message to Ken Bremner, MBE, the chief executive of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, she highlighted the plight of a friend, “Philip”, whose mother has been at the South Shields hospital for, “a while now”.

She said there is no visiting at the hospital and her friend’s mother is, “frightened and alone, and she is on her own at the hospital.”

The former star of tv series Waterloo Road, who has also played characters in soaps Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, as well as appearing regularly on tv chat show Loose Women, said that on asking “upset” staff members who is responsible for the decision, she was told, “it was up to the chief executive”.

She added: “I just think that at this stage in the Covid story, two years on, this is appalling.

“There are so many people alone in that hospital without their loved ones.

“That’s South Tyneside hospital and I would like someone to get back to me, please.”

Read more: Denise Welch's dad Vin dies in Durham hospital

Replying to Ms Welch on Twitter, the trust said: “Hello Denise - we appreciate it’s so difficult when families cannot see their loved ones, but everything we have done throughout the pandemic has been to protest our patients and staff.”

The message added that if Ms Welch’s friend could get in touch directly, “we can help,” giving the trust email contact.

In response Ms Welch said: “He has tried to get in touch with you.

“I appreciate the difficulty you have faced.

“However, many, many hospitals have been allowing visiting, restricted, for some time now.

“My dad deteriorated rapidly when we couldn’t visit.

“I’m sorry. At this stage it’s unforgiveable.”

Ms Welch revealed her father, Vin McIntyre, a former actor and drag queen, died after major surgery battling pneumonia, as well as dealing with pulmonary fibrosis, in Durham’s University Hospital of North Durham, last September.

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