Would you attend a non-emergency hospital appointment right now?

[EdinaMonsoon]

I'm trying to decide if IABU or not. I have a hospital appt next week and basically I'm concerned about the risk of corona. As a family, we have only left the house to exercise and the DC have both had a couple of socially distanced meet ups with friends. The appointment is for a currently undiagnosed issue which makes life difficult but not entirely impossible. WIBU to reschedule for a later date? Would a later date in fact be any safer?

YABU: just go, you'll be fine
YANBU: No. I would wait longer too.

[Wecandothis99]

I have to as pregnant. After the first one I chilled out a lot and it feels normal now. You will be fine. They are really doing what they can to make you feel comfortable

[Redredwine99]

I went a couple of weeks ago, it was fine.

[endofthelinefinally]

Here, the advice is to go unless the hospital cancel it.
I have had 3 telephone consults and 2 hospital visits since March. On each occasion they phoned me 48 hours beforehand to tell me what would happen.
They have moved all the outpatient clinics to one hospital, so I ended up going a bit further away.

[Mrsjayy]

I wonder if it is different in different trusts? I had a video appointment end of may and they said they would put me forward for an MRI I was expecting a wait. Got the appointments a few days later. Our R number is quite low here so maybe it has something to do with that ?

[endofthelinefinally]

Yes, I should have used "necessary" rather than "urgent". I guess in my mind the two are similar. I am happy for the consultant to make that decision.

[Hollyhobbi]

I worry about temperature checks giving a false sense of security. My elderly father had a positive test for Covid 19 and no real cough or a high temperature. Plus people can always take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen to bring down their temperature anyway and read normal at the time their temp is checked. Hand washing, face masks and sanitiser are the things to do. Also noticed more patients wearing face masks each week when I attend the clinic. Yesterday all the patients had facemasks, and all the staff I was dealing with. Which is good because the patients are elderly and medically vulnerable too.

[Alconleigh]

I've just had a cardiology appointment including an ultrasound, blood tests and I've got lung function tests booked in in next week. That's 3 different hospitals in 10 days. The first 2 private, so less COVID risk than the supermarket I reckon. The one next week is at a big NHS hospital, but given it's the respiratory unit I am going to assume they will have some serious PPE on. Screening questions and temperature checks have happened before every appointment. I'd go for it.

[BrieAndChilli]

God if you can get an apt now take it. There are less people having spots as everything has been put on hold, once this is over it’s going to be crazy busy with waiting lists and people going to doctors etc for things they have been putting off and like previous people had sad there is so much emphasis on cleaning and protection you are probably ky less likely to catch anything than you were before ( MRSA, Norovirus etc were rife before!)
I wish I could get bloody appts. Waiting for work done on a wisdom tooth as well as a scan to see where my coil has disappeared to.

[MayFayre]

Definitely! If you decline who knows what might happen a few weeks/months down the line. Could then be ages before you get the offer again.

[itsgettingweird]

I'd go.

If anyone is aware of the risks and keeping safe it our fabulous nhs staff.

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

Yes I would go to hospital appt.

My dad, who is in his early 70s, but no other risk factors has been to an appointment recently as follow up to minor eye surgery last year. He said it was almost deserted, a very different experience to pre-lockdown.

[DefConOne]

I would without hesitation. I took my DC in as a healthy volunteer for a research study. Our trust has no cases of COVID at the moment though.

[EmpressSuiko]

You’ll be fine, I have asthma but took my dc recently for a routine appointment, we had to wear masks, we used plenty of hand sanitiser and washed our hands.
We were told to arrive promptly, we were seen very quickly, we had to see more than one person so we were asked to go back outside and wait in the car until such time and then we went back in, again we were seen straight away and then we left.
The hospital was very quiet but al staff were wearing PPE and all patients and visitors were wearing masks and using sanitiser.

[FudgeBrownie2019]

DS1 has had three appointments at our local hospital during lockdown and has another coming up at a bigger, different hospital in July. We attend them as directed unless the hospital tell us not to.

The local hospital have been amazing, doing checks and ensuring everyone is kept as far apart as possible. They ask you to remain in your car until the very moment your appointment is due, and aside from shutting down entirely I honestly don't know what more they could do.

[mumwon]

I am going for a scan - one thing we were told No parking fee!!!!!
I rang reception to ask how the system works ie one way system etc & was told this

[TheOrigBrave]

I have had 2 blood tests at a community hospital during lockdown.
I have not been required to wear a mask, but sanitise my hands. The seats in the waiting area were well spaced out and the phlebotomist was wearing a mask or visor and gloves (of course).

[RenegadeMrs]

Since lock down started I have been to our local hospital 3 times (maternity) and my OH has been taken to A&E and a stroke unit (he's fine). We have all been ok and not caught covid. I'd echo what everyone else is saying; the NHS are very aware of hygiene and if they are offering treatment now take it as there may be a wait in the future.

[Bloodymother321]

I was recently in hospital with a seriously ill family member. We were inside A&E waiting inside a single room with the door open. Watching the staff only say 50% were wearing masks even when doing person care with my shielded family member.

I had to go inside the hospital every day for over a week and still few staff were wearing masks.

If you’re worried about catching covid I’d say far away.

[JacobReesMogadishu]

Yes.

Dd has an appt next week and I’m going to ring on Monday to see what’s happening. If it’s still on we will go.

I’m waiting for surgery and I’d go tomorrow for that if I could.

[Mintychoc1]

I took DS to his appointment today. Everyone was wearing masks as we walked through the hospital, but apart from that it felt normal. Then when we got to the children’s outpatients, the waiting room , which usually sounds like a zoo, was silent . We were the only people there! The consultant spent over half an hour with us. I expect lots of anxious people had foolishly cancelled their appointment, and will want to join the mile long queues of people wanting to be seen in a few months.
We had masks, and I took hand sanitiser which I used frequently whenever I had to open a door. It was fine.

[AnnaSW1]

I went last week. So so quiet. Great time to go.

[Sk1nnyB1tch]

I am very high risk but still had to attend hospital appointments all through lockdown.
The hospital I attend insists on masks which they provide and have waiting areas set up for social distancing with temperature taking for entrance to certain areas. I was very nervous the first few times but the routine has become normal now.
I still tie my hair up before I go to reduce risk of touching it/my face, wash my clothes when I get home and leave shoes worn at the door for a day when I get back.
It's also helping me not gain weight as I used to treat myself after appointments but too cautious to eat uncovered food now

[MummytoCSJH]

I would and have. It's not worth looking like you don't need the appointment and getting removed from or put down to the bottom of the waiting list.

[bengalcat]

I would go . It’s a great time as hospitals are just starting to mobilise their post Covid stuff . Parking should be easier and waiting time negligible .
At our hospital we’ve been wearing masks in all clinical areas , primarily because we can’t socially distance at all times , for at least 6 weeks . And of course masks / face coverings are now obligatory for all in hospitals now .

[birdy124]

I think you should def go! Hospitals are taking it very seriously, and it probably won't be busy.

I think the whole point of social distancing is so we can keep the world functioning for important things like doctors appoints, cancer treatments, etc.

Also this will be around for awhile and will probably just get worse in the winter, so now if the time.