Isolating for medical appointments. So confused

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

I had to isolate for 14 days for a minor day op in Jan.

Gastrocopy in May l had to isolate for 3 days.

Another really minor procedure l have to isolate for 7 days

Dentist- in for an hour and a half, no isolation required.

I’ve been double jabbed. Why is this so inconsistent?

It seems to vary between areas too. My dad had an op recently and did not have to isolate at all.

I only have to isolate from Saturday to Wednesday after a COVID test for a minor operation. A friend had a cataract operation last summer you had to isolate for 14 days and so did the person driving you! It does seem odd there is not a standard time.

There should definitely be better consistency and clearer national guidance.

But I suppose there's more caution from hospital than dentists because they'll have inpatients vulnerable to catching it.

Around 40,000 Covid infections were caught in hospital.

I hope your dental appointment goes well.

I agree it's all over the place. My Dad had an operation and had to isolate for two weeks before. My Mum also had to isolate with him.

My BIL had a similar operation at a hospital 5 miles away and didn't have to isolate at all.

When l isolated for my daycase, the whole house had to isolate.

Dc3 and I recently had an admission (3 nights) for non invasive treatment and we both had to have a PCR on admission. We had a room so weren't on a ward? But obviously couldn't leave the room until we got a negative result and even then we were only allowed in the green areas of the hospital.

I'm guessing the fact it was a room not a ward made things different?

It's bizarre - and takes no account of the fact that some people can't afford to isolate, then have an op, then have time off recovering, all with zero pay - which would be my reality.

Household isolation is going to be impossible for anyone living in a houseshare or with a lodger who can't WFH - and what is someone needing hospital treatment, but who has housemates that cannot / will not isolate meant to do? Never have surgery?

Wtf, so what do the millions do who cannot isolate because their job cannot be done from home? Just not have surgery? This has truly became a farce

No consistency is there,, since COVID all my hospital/specialist nurse appointments have been by phone. I have recently relocated. I have an appointment to meet my new consultant next week, at the hospital, no mention of isolating. Temperature to be taken on arrival. I most go alone.

Appoitment for a procedure

Isolate for 14 days

Do not get public transport to your appointment

Do not work for 14 days

If someone is driving you,
They must fully isolate for 14 days
Masks must be worn in the car

I understand it to a certain extent but its crazy and mostly impossible

Th recommendations keep changing depending on prevalence of covid in local community.

We were asking patients to isolate for 14 days and about four weeks ago it changed to 3 days.

The PPE that we are required to wear also changes eg. immediately post christmas when covid rates were really high in the community we were wearing the highest level of PPE for everyone. Now the rates are lower we are only wearing that for patients who haven't isolated/ don't have a negative covid swab done 72hrs pre-hospital.

With the rise in cases (several staff off with community acquired covid again) I anticipate that we will be back to to longer isolation times.

Isolation guidance says go to work if you have to…

Also kids can go to school…..

The 7 day and 3 day were from the same hospital 2 weeks apart. Letters arrived together. The 3 day was the first appt.

Wow Youve got to be rich to use the NHS now!!!!!!

Did you need a general anaesthetic for the minor op? Intubating for an anaesthetic is an aerosol generating procedure, so could explain a more rigorous approach to isolating.

No,

I needed a gastrocopy which was 3 days isolation
I need a ph montitoring test which is 7 days isolation.

Both involve something being shoved down my throat.😭but different isolation times…

@BonnieDundee

It’s really weird how inconsistent it is. I am having a gastroscopy tomorrow and had to isolate from Friday. The hospital told me they would provide the covid test, but the doctor’s secretary said to just arrange it myself, I rang to clarify and no one got back to me, got the test done myself, and they rang me tonight asking why I haven’t had a test from them! Annoying! It’s been a year now, why are we all still so confused 😂

I had a dermatology appt that required me removing my mask so a lump on my nose could be looked at. In and out with o precautions.

I need a covid pcr and 4 days self isolating to go back and have a punch biopsy done.

I'm having an impacted wisdom tooth removed next month 🤞🏼under a general but will be there only for the afternoon.

So far I've had 1 phone & 2 face to face consultant apts (different hospitals). I've had a phone pre op assessment and an in-person one booked for this week (different hospital to where I'll have the op). I've not had to isolate or test for any of these. I will then go in to 1 of those hospitals for a COVID test 3 days before the op, then isolate for 3 days (only I need to apparently, in a house with 2 school age children 🤦🏻‍♀️) then go to the other hospital for the op.

I am genuinely baffled by how any of that is supposed to reduce the risk of transmission

How on earth would e.g. a care home worker be able to self isolate for 14 days? Its not a great wage either so public transport might be all they can afford. Ditto retail and lots of other jobs. I can just see the face of the manager of a short staffed care home now after they have been told one of the care assistants has to isolate for a week or more prior to surgery.

I notice this thread isnt moving very fast either. Neither did the last one about this subject.

@MercyBooth

How on earth would e.g. a care home worker be able to self isolate for 14 days? Its not a great wage either so public transport might be all they can afford. Ditto retail and lots of other jobs. I can just see the face of the manager of a short staffed care home now after they have been told one of the care assistants has to isolate for a week or more prior to surgery. I notice this thread isnt moving very fast either. Neither did the last one about this subject.

I recall the last thread. I mentioned in it (this was prior to my dad's op) that it is fine my DF having to isolate, but my DM would not... no way. No £500 self isolation payment for her anyway, let alone having to isolate just because she is a close contact of someone needing surgery. As it turned out, he was not asked to isolate anyway, but I gather this varies between areas.

YY @XenoBitch i remember

I too think it's ridiculous. I had a shoulder operation a couple of months ago and at one point all the other patients were sat on chairs right next to me, once we'd been taken into the ward.

@bumbleymummy