Should hospital outpatient shut?

[Zombiemum1946]

Should hospitals shut their outpatients departments and staff redeployed (is it unreasonable) ? If you're keeping kids off school would you still take them to a hospital app ? I work there and there're over 2000+ people pass through the outpatients dept every week . The depts are scattered all over the hospital and inpatients are seen in the clinics as well as outpatients. Appointments are generally 10-15 mins apart so you can't deep clean between patients. The waiting rooms are usually packed as is the cafe.

I think it depends on the reason for the appointment.

Ds has 3 outpatient appointments this week. Today’s is vital so I’m pleased it’s not been cancelled. The other two are needed but not urgent so if needed could be rearranged.

However there is also the issue with knock on of trying to rearrange in busy departments anyway

Surely depends what for?

Antenatal scans- quite time sensitive.
A lot of people need regular blood tests for medication control.
Cancer appointments

But I'm sure there are lots of other appointments which aren't as time sensitive.

yes. umless life n death.
storm coming this is no time for routine checks or appts.

and if the hospital isnt cancelling you should.

So would you be okay to have it as urgent app only, with Routine apps rearranged ? It's an option being considered by management. There is always the possibility to do extra clinics as the crisis eases off.

My daughter has a routine specialist appt this week which has been changed to a telephone appointment.
I presume when the drs are needed for patients whose need is greater those appointments will be cancelled.

I hope they aren’t trying to decide based on what mumsnet users say?

No because if I miss my routine appointment then my health becomes urgent

We can't cancel, we do diabetic foot clinics and sepsis can occur at any time with these types of high risk patient. One cancelled appointment could mean an amputated limb.
But routine appointments then maybe not. It very much depends on the treatment.
We are manically busy, more so than ever.

I was very surprised that an appointment I had was not cancelled. It wasn’t in any way urgent, though it was important to me. OTOH the person seeing me probably wouldn’t be much help elsewhere atm and right now they don’t need the outpatient space for treating patients.

As Aroundtheworld said certain appointments should be kept but anything non urgent should be canceled.
I'm due my anomaly scan next week and then I have a lot of midwife and consultant appointments in the next few months. Its vital I attend as I'm high risk for life threatening illnesses in pregnancy. If they are canceled covid19 is the least of my worries

Where would having a fracture reviewed after 6 weeks and plaster cast removal fit? Fairly important not to leave casts on for months on end.

A lot of routine appointments are also urgent though which is where the complication comes in. and often with complex situations one thing that may seem minor is an important part of the overall picture and monitoring.

And it’s also complicated by the fact that it’s important to keep people healthy at a time like this so lack of monitoring could be more detrimental

Ours are shutting from this week. Mainly so staff can be redeployed elsewhere.
No elective surgeries from this week either and day surgery wards and theatres will be turned into covid wards if needed.

My dad has an OPA with a cardiologist re heart failure and his pacemaker, he also has another the same week for a biopsy for likely skin cancer. He is ver high risk for Coronavirus but also high risk for other health issues. I hope they’re not cancelled.

I'm sending my kids into school but am considering cancelling an April hospital appointment. It is non urgent and would rather avoid spending time in a hospital settling, not least in case I unwittingly carry the virus in with me.

I just went for a blood test at a community hospital.
The sliding doors were fixed open with signs on them saying only staff can touch them.
The touch screen check in thingy asked patients to use sanitiser before touching it.
I didn't need to go to the reception desk, but it looked like it was fenced off to allow staff to maybe triage from a safe distance - big STOP signs.

I went to the loo before my appt and washed my hands and then used hand sanitiser on my way out.

The blood test is important.

It depends on what it's for doesn't it. Some appointments are time sensitive. Certainly my baby's final RSV vaccine next week and her cardiology appointment coming up are time sensitive and important.

It's easy for people on outside to think outpatient means not urgent or important but a lot certainly are!

I am in wales and they have already cancelled all of my outpatient appointments. Bit of a nightmare as I need to change my meds and can't do so without seeing my consultant but I do understand why. Probably best anyway as I don't want to have a reaction to new meds at the moment

Our hospital has cancelled all non urgent appointments and procedures. I'm in Wales.

No they're not using mumsnet, but maybe I should suggest that as an option (joke). Our waiting room serves 4 different specialties for babies through to very elderly daily. One consulting room alone, will have 30 patients pass through daily, most will have relatives with them, so that's a minimum of 60 people We have 5 consulting rooms for our specialty.

The majority of our outpatient appointments are being done by phone/video call where I am, as of Friday. Only people who need to be here are being told to come in.

I thihnk this is a better option of cancelling and trying to rearrange - it also avoids any potential issues going unnoticed/unmentioned

I believe the is going to happen , although some outpatients appointments are essential

Perhaps GP surgeries should shut too, and do all of the check ups online if urgent or direct to NHS111. So GPS surgeries could be deployed for Coronavirus treatments ?

Genuine question.

I'm just a pleb on the frontline, but I'm aware I have physical contact with a high number of people on a daily basis . I just wondered if it was something that worried patients coming in. We've had some patients cancel and we fully expect to have extra clinics in order to meet patient needs.