Angry relatives have forced a rethink on the visitor ban at New Cross Hospital enforced to control an outbreak of the norovirus winter vomiting bug, it emerged today.

More elderly patients may now be allowed visitors under the new rules, but the final decision will still be up to ward sisters, say hospital chiefs.

The change follows “fractious conversations” between relatives and staff, Cheryl Etches, director of nursing and midwifery, told a Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust board meeting today.

More than 300 patients and 140 staff have been affected by the winter vomiting bug, which is now worse than the last serious outbreak in 2002.

Mrs Etches said: “The rate of new cases has slowed down but they are still spread throughout the hospital so we still have to impose visitor restrictions.”

Health chiefs say they will look at the personal circumstances of individual cases, with some leniency being considered for elderly patients.