Frequently asked questions

If you have a scheduled appointment please attend as normal unless otherwise informed. If you are concerned about coming out of isolation due to being in a high risk group, you can speak with our telephone appointment centre on 01284 713713 who can postpone your appointment.

Please contact the telephone appointment centre for queries about your appointment on 01284 713713.

You may be invited to join a virtual clinic – meaning your appointment will take place over the phone or via videocall, rather than face-to-face. If your appointment is suitable for a virtual clinic, you will be contacted by your hospital team beforehand to arrange this.

Please refrain from contacting the ward you are trying to reach, and contact our helpline instead on 01284 712555. Available from 9am-4pm, Monday - Friday, our staff will be able to provide updates on patients.

<a href="https://www.wsh.nhs.uk/Patients-and-visitors/Information-for-visitors/Ward-information.aspx"> Please see the visitor information page by clicking here </a>

If you have not heard otherwise, your surgery is going ahead as planned. If you have any queries please contact the admissions team on 01284 712810.

Anyone under the age of 16 is not allowed to visit the hospital at this time.

Yes

Yes

Yes, taxis will still be able to access the premises.

Anyone under the age of 16 is not allowed to visit the hospital at this time.

Please contact the telephone appointment centre for queries about your appointment on 01284 713713.

Please contact the telephone appointment centre for queries about your appointment on 01284 713713.

Every patient will be treated based on their clinical need and staff will continue to deliver care to all of our patients whilst dealing with COVID-19 cases. Staffing capacity and pressures are being closely monitored 24/7 during this unprecedented time.

Please make every attempt to attend the hospital alone if required.

All patients are being prioritised based on their clinical need and postponed appointments will be rescheduled or delivered in an alternative format as soon as possible. If you are particularly concerned please contact your GP via telephone or contact PALS on 01284 712555 who will try to help.

Because of your medical condition and/or the kind of treatment you are receiving, you have been identified by central records as being in one of the groups of patients, identified by the Chief Medical Officers of the UK, as being at highest clinical risk of severe illness were you to contract coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The letter you have received from the NHS signposts you to the Government’s website where you can register to access help with essential food and medicines deliveries, as well as support with social contact and daily care needs. The Government is working alongside the NHS and local council partners to support you and others in this group. In addition, you will be able to access support from the NHS Volunteer Responders, either through a referral from your GP, or you can self-refer by calling 0808 196 3646 between 8am – 8pm. We know that many people in the shielding group will already have good support networks among family, friends and neighbours, but if you don’t, the volunteers can help with a range of support, from transport to and from hospital appointments to ‘check in and chat’ – a simple phone call from a volunteer to check that you are doing ok.

You have been identified by the national algorithm. If you have already discussed this with your GP, please inform them and if appropriate they will place a low or moderate flag on your record which will remove you from the list.

We will inform practices w/c 27th April. A high-risk flag will be placed upon your record.

The shielded patient list combines patients identified by the national algorithm with those added by hospitals and general practice. We are committed to ensuring that all eligible patients are added to the list and, as patients are diagnosed with high risk conditions, they are given the same ability to shield as those when the list was first generated. If a patient feels that they should be included on the list but have not been notified they should contact their GP or hospital consultant.