CLYDEBANK’S health board has extended visiting times in all its adult acute hospital wards offering visitors more flexibility for loved ones.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde now offers open visiting from 11am to 8.30pm every day – an extension by two and a half hours from the previous 1.30pm to 8.30pm slot.

Margaret McGuire, nursing director, said: “This change will make a big difference to families and friends of patients, enabling them to visit when it is most suitable thereby ensuring family life and work commitments are not adversely effected.

“This will ensure patients as well as family and friends are able to plan visits better and patients enjoy a better quality of time with their loved ones.”

Areas that will still need to maintain the original visiting times include maternity and children’s wards.

Acute Receiving Units, Intensive Care Units and High Dependency Units have also not adopted the new schedule.

For further information on visiting times visit the NHS website.