GWENT hospitals have reduced its maternity ward visiting hours for fathers in a bid to reduce the risk of infections, hospital chiefs say.

The move at Newport's Royal Gwent and Nevill Hall in Abergavenny was made by the Aneurin Bevan Health Board on the advice of the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales.

Before the change anyone could visit the maternity ward between 9am and 9pm.

Now the visiting hours are 12.30pm until 2pm and 5pm to 8pm for dads and birthing partners and anyone else can only visit between 5pm and 7pm.

A spokesman for the Aneurin Bevan Health Board said the hours changed in response to guidance from the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales and said by reducing the hours it would reduce the number of people that visit the ward and therefore reduce the possibility of an infection.

The Argus asked how shorter visiting hours would effect the numbers of visitors, as the same numbers of people could potentially still visit, just over a shorter period of time, but the board was unable to comment further.

The spokesman added: “The new visiting times were agreed with local women who are part of a parents panel and are continually reviewed to take account of their opinions and also the views of our staff,” he said.

The new regime, which came in during the last few months, is a worry for one Newport family.

Michelle Mould, 22, of Ringland, Newport, is due to go into the Royal Gwent Hospital for a caesarean section next week.

Her husband Christopher said the changes mean it will be difficult for him to visit his wife while having to look after his 17-month-old son.

“Now I’m worried I’m going to miss out on the first couple of days with my new born daughter," said Mr Mould, 25.

Visiting hours at different hospitals vary throughout South Wales.

At the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, husbands and partners may visit from 9am to 9pm, with the exception of quiet time in some wards of between 12.30pm and 2pm.

At Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, visiting times for fathers are 12.30pm-3pm and 6pm to 8pm.

The changes will not affect fathers being able to visit during the birth of their child.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Dads deserve longer visits

WE are struggling to understand the logic of reducing visiting times for new fathers at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

The hospital is reducing times from 12 hours a day to just five and a half on the maternity ward.

The local health board says the changes are in response to guidance from the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales.

It says part of the reason is to help with “infection control”.

What we fail to see is that if a father who is carrying germs is on the ward what difference does the length of time they spend there make?

We think this decision is denying some fathers the basic right of getting to bond with their newborn in the crucial early days.

What has to be recognised as well is that fathers may not be able to get in at the new reduced hours because of work commitments or looking after existing children.

It is vital fathers spend time with their babies and their partners or wives at this early stage.

Restriction of hours because of some vague notion that they will spread an infection if they are on a ward for longer seems a little restrictive in our opinion.