VISITING hours at Ipswich Hospital have been extended during the heatwave to encourage people to come when it is cooler.

VISITING hours at Ipswich Hospital have been extended during the heat wave to encourage people to come when it is cooler.

The evening visiting times have been extended from today as a temporary measure while the weather remains very hot.

People can now visit between 7pm and 9pm. The idea is to encourage people to avoid visiting patients in the afternoon when temperatures are higher.

Gwen Collins, director of nursing and quality at the hospital, said: “We know that having visitors is very important for patients, but with the soaring temperatures, we need to make sure that the wards are as cool, calm and comfortable as possible. Limiting the number of people on the ward during the hottest part of the day is a very good way of doing this.

“We are extending visiting times in the evening to make up for the loss of afternoon visiting in the afternoons in the coming days. “We will review this on a daily basis.”

This applies to all general wards.