Hospital visiting times extended to help mark Ramadan | Latest news

In order to support those taking part in the holy month of Ramadan, visiting times at the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital have been extended.

The first day of Ramadan begins on or around the evening of Friday 28 February and will end on or around Sunday 30 March 2025, followed by the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr.

During this time, people will be able to visit loved ones on hospital wards until 10pm (extended from 8pm) until the end of Ramadan.

This will allow people enough time to visit following Iftar, the meal eaten by Muslims to break their fast.

Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Giles Matsell, welcomed the move, saying: “This thoughtful gesture exemplifies the Trust’s commitment to cultural inclusivity, ensuring that diverse communities are supported during significant religious observances. This is great to see and will ensure that all cultures feel supported when it is a significant time in their calendars."

The same rules and restrictions will apply to the number of people per bed, and all visitors are asked to be respectful of patients around them, especially later in the evening.

The move aligns with the Trust’s ‘Everyone is Welcome here’ campaign – a campaign which celebrates our diverse colleagues and community and recognises that every individual, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or background, deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. 

Tracy Pilcher, Chief Nurse at NUH, said: “We know it can be challenging for those who are fasting to visit loved ones in hospital during our normal visiting hours, so we are really pleased to support our communities and patients by extending our visiting hours during Ramadan. Having visitors is really important for the recovery and wellbeing of our patients, we are pleased that we can make these changes to support patients and visitors during this time.”