This guidance explains when dogs or other animals may come onto hospital premises, and what we ask owners and handlers to do to protect patient safety, infection prevention standards and animal welfare.

Assistance dogs

We welcome trained and accredited assistance dogs, such as guide dogs and hearing dogs, that support people with a disability.

An assistance dog is usually a dog that has been trained to support a disabled person with specific tasks, such as guiding someone who is blind, alerting someone who is deaf, or helping with mobility, coordination or other day to day activities.

1. A dog which has been trained to guide a blind person
2. A dog which has been trained to assist a deaf person;
3. A dog which has been trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person who has a disability that consists of epilepsy or otherwise affects the person’s mobility, manual dexterity, physical coordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects
4. A dog of a prescribed category which has been trained to assist a disabled person who has a disability (other than one falling within point 3) of a prescribed kind

Emotional support or therapy dogs

Therapy or support dogs are allowed into the hospital with prior agreement and in line with hospital policy.

Non-assistance animals

Animals that are not recognised assistance, support or therapy dogs are not permitted on hospital premises. This includes being left in your vehicle while you attend your appointment. Please make appropriate arrangements for their care before travelling to the hospital.

How to request access for your assistance dog

At the time of booking your appointment or treatment, please mention to our team that you’ll be accompanied by your assistance dog.

Your request will be passed to the relevant ward or department manager, who will carry out a risk assessment and gain approval from our Infection Prevention and Control team. We’ll let you know the outcome of this before you visit the hospital.

While your dog is at the hospital

To help keep everyone safe and comfortable, any dog visiting the hospital must:

• Be fully looked after by their owner or handler
• Not be taken into clinical areas, unless agreed in advance. The dog must be accompanied by its owner or handler at all times while in clinical areas
• Not be taken into food preparation or serving areas. This includes the Pavilion restaurant
• Be clean, healthy, well behaved and kept under control at all times, either on a lead or in a suitable carrier
• Stay with its owner or handler and be supervised by a member of hospital staff throughout the visit
• Only interact with other patients, visitors or staff when it is appropriate and they have agreed to it
• Only stay for as long as is required for your appointment or treatment

If the dog causes any mess, contamination, damage or injury it is the owner or handler’s responsibility to clean up.

As the owner or handler, you are responsible for ensuring that others do not distract or interact with your working animal without permission. If your animal is touched by another person, please ask them to clean their hands before continuing through the hospital to help maintain infection prevention standards.