Since March, staff at Bassetlaw Hospital, Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital have had to fundamentally change the way they work, physically altering the flow of the hospital sites to make them safe and leaning ever more on digital technology to continue to deliver high quality care and treatment for local patients.
This has meant that some routine appointments are now delivered virtually, using a programme similar to Skype or Facetime, while many scheduled clinics continue to run and are delivered in-person. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals are urging local people to continue to keep these appointments, and to let the Trust know in good time if they are unable to attend.
David Purdue, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, said: “In the course of a few months, we have had to fundamentally change the way we work, as well as how we move around our hospital sites, in order to accommodate the challenges posed by Covid-19. Despite this, we continue to see both inpatient and outpatients, and we ask local people to keep any appointments they have with us.
“Since March, we have cared for almost 210,000 outpatients. My colleagues have risen admirably to the issues we have faced as a result of Covid-19, however, patient care and treatment remains our first and utmost priority, and this will continue as we head further into winter. If you have a date to keep with one of our clinics, please do so, and contact us ahead of time if you need to reschedule.”
Those coming to the hospital for an appointment are reminded to observe the following when they step on site:
- Please come alone: Unless you need to be chaperoned for very specific access issues, or you require a guardian or carer with you, you should attend your appointments on your own, asking anyone who has accompanied you to remain outside of the hospital.
- You must not be symptomatic of Covid-19: Please do not visit our hospitals if you are symptomatic of Covid-19, you live in a household with someone who is, or you or your household have been told to isolate.
- Feeling under the weather? If you have a cough, cold, diarrhoea, vomiting or a temperature, you could have an infection and may risk passing this on to our patients. Please do not visit the hospital if you are feeling under the weather and delay your visit.
- Overseas trips: If you have just returned from an overseas trip, please do not come to our hospitals.
- Face covering: All visitors to the Trust must wear an appropriate face covering – if you cannot, we will ask you to leave.
Please note, for whatever reason if there is a change in your hospital appointment, you will be contacted via the details the Trust has on file. Please ensure these are up-to-date with the relevant department.
Health professionals at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Bassetlaw Hospital and Montagu Hospital are taking all necessary steps to maintain as many appointments and planned operations and procedures as possible, whilst ensuring that work with urgent and cancer patients proceeds as a priority. If you have a scheduled appointment with the Trust, please look out for any correspondence.