Being told to isolate before hospital outpatient appointment?

[ZNation]

Just wondering is this the norm for other hospitals, having a covid test 3 days before a outpatient appointment with a procedure but being told to isolate up till the appointment even though double jabbed?
I thought the rules had changed with double vaccinated people?

No, the rules have not changed. Your covid test only remains a true representation if you have no potential exposure between the test and the procedure.

Healthcare settings need to set the rules that protect the patient base, and can be stricter than those for general mixing.

They vary between hospitals - and indeed different parts of the same hospital - depending on the nature of what is done in that clinic and the overall vulnerability of the patients

If you do not want to be treated in this unit, then ask to be referred elsewhere. If it's just the dates that are awkward, ask to rebook for a time when you will be able to comply.

I have an OP appointment next week and I've not been told to do this, nor for any of my other appointments over the past year. I suppose it differs from hospital to hospital?

My father had to do this before a kidney procedure a month ago. Turned out he was positive even though he was double vaccinated.

Standard for our hospital - irrespective of vaccination status, it's a Covid test (administered by the hospital) three days prior to any procedure.

I had to do this a couple of weeks ago. The whole family isolated for 4 days until my procedure.

That’s normal for our hospital too. PCR in 1st day of self isolation, and come in for the procedure appointment 3days later if negative. This is not the case for a standard outpatient appointment, for like 20 mins with a doctor or nurse, but for where you might be in a Supergreen area…all staff and patients have to be swab tested.for these.

And no, vaccination status is irrelevant. Most staff and patients have been vaccinated, but doesn’t mean you can’t have it or pass it on.

I had to do this in July before wisdom teeth removal. Although you are told to isolate between test and appointment, I was told you can still go to work if you cannot get time off, especially if apps are booked last minute like mine was (6 days notice). If you are given more notice it would likely be easier. I did fully isolate though...

I was told on here the whole family needed to isolate... kids were on school holidays so off anyway so isolated with me but if it was a week before they'd have to go school and dp still went to work.

What is the procedure?

We have to do this for our outpatient appointments where an AGP procedure is being done instead of the full PPE and clean down we'd have to do otherwise (which means less patients can be seen)

Nothing has changed in hospitals. We are basically doing the same thing we were doing 18 months ago. Double jabbed means nothing.

It’s the procedure that needs the isolation not the fact it’s just an outpatient appointment. If you are having an actual procedure it’s deemed needed to be sure as more risk. It’s not just an appointment as in a chat/quick examination.

Healthcare rules are different to protect patients and staff, plenty of double vaccinated people still get covid.

My OP is hoping to have his gallbladder removed shortly. He has to have a PCR test then isolate for three days. I also have to isolate but don't have to do the PCR test, which does seem a little odd?

Yes it’s the norm for hospital appointments now

Even double vaxxed you can still get or transmit covid

Standard in my local hospital. Covid test 3/4 days before appointment and isolation between test and appointment.

Was very annoying when my appointment kept being cancelled.

Pcr tests are supposedly standard prior to a procedure to limit the spread of covid.
The annoying part and something that should change is that the family/partner/household are also told to isolate but then can't accompany the patient or visit. If I pay for a pcr test on the same day as partner / wife / husband and have a negative test the same as them why am I not allowed to accompany them or visit. They would be getting dropped at the door by said partner as I presume after isolating they wouldn't be getting an uber or bus or some other public transport where no-one is even wearing masks these days. And don't start with the it's limiting the transmission / rules about infection etc. Guaranteed that not all the staff have been vaccinated and would put money on the fact that they don't do pcr tests every 3 days.
They always complaining about the strain and lack of beds but studies show patients that have support recover faster freeing up beds quicker and place less strain on staff due to A PARTNER/FAMILY MEMBER being present so they don't need to spend more time with said patient. AND We haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the psychological impact to family members where there have been complications or worse affecting the patients where family couldn't be or weren't present when they were most needed.

Rules are great but who are they really helping if anyone at all.

Standard here too. Fine when you have room to isolate in your own home but not much craic if you live in a smaller house with kids, extended family etc.

Yes standard here too. Although not for outpatient clinic appointments, just procedures.

One of my real stressors at work right now is that the guidance for healthcare settings hasn’t changed at all. Masks, social distancing, hand gel - it’s all still there.

Patients - understandably given the political messaging - don’t know this. So we’re having to explain it. That’s taking longer and being more confrontational every day as people move away from restrictions in other aspects of their lives.

So, yes, that you’re double jabbed is irrelevant here because the rules in hospitals haven’t changed. It’s likely to be because your procedure is aerosol generating. If your covid status is unknown everyone has to wear FFP3s and gowns, the room has to be left for aerosols to settle and have a deep clean. If you’re covid negative then it doesn’t which doubles the number of patients that can be seen.

By not even mentioning this, Boris has shat on the NHS. Again.

@Motorina

One of my real stressors at work right now is that the guidance for healthcare settings hasn’t changed at all. Masks, social distancing, hand gel - it’s all still there.

Patients - understandably given the political messaging - don’t know this. So we’re having to explain it. That’s taking longer and being more confrontational every day as people move away from restrictions in other aspects of their lives.

So, yes, that you’re double jabbed is irrelevant here because the rules in hospitals haven’t changed. It’s likely to be because your procedure is aerosol generating. If your covid status is unknown everyone has to wear FFP3s and gowns, the room has to be left for aerosols to settle and have a deep clean. If you’re covid negative then it doesn’t which doubles the number of patients that can be seen.

By not even mentioning this, Boris has shat on the NHS. Again.

@motorina Agreed on this. The rules haven't changed in hospitals but have everywhere else. This will naturally cause conflict and eventually there will be more issues/aggressive behaviour between patients/family members and medical staff. This is obviously unacceptable but if we know its coming then why not try to prevent it instead of waiting until it happens. Hospitals will need to make changes to their policies so it would be in the best interest for everyone to start this earlier. Blaming Boris is fine but it wont make it better so we should focus on what we can change not what cant be.

The difficulty is that it’s not for clinical settings to change the rules. Ultimately that’s a political decision. So needs to be communicated by politicians.

They could have said, “we’re relaxing freedoms but keeping them in hospitals because…”. Instead they were like “freeeeedom day!!!!” Creating a mismatch in the messaging that then those communicating with patients have to explain. It absolutely is a failure of political leadership.

My pre-op letter says I need to self-isolate 2 weeks after a diagnostic laporoscopy. This seems a little extreme and a lot of time to take off of work if I am to include the 3 day self-isolating prior.

We're always at the hospital for scans, out patient appointments etc but never been asked to test or isolate before any of them.

Thing is you're protecting the staff. If a specialist consultant tests positive and their field of work isn't covered by anyone else then no patients get seen for the next 10 days. Further adding to the waiting lists.

I've got an investigative procedure next week and have to go into the hospital for a covid test 3 days before and then self-isolate for the next 3 days. Two things that are farcical about it:

1. Going into the hospital to get the PCR probably represents my highest risk of getting covid as I need to get public transport in and out (train and tube).

1. I was told I don't need to isolate from my household (plus virtually impossible as small house) and my family can go about their normal business. They are my second biggest risk as I have 3 DC at school.

It doesn't really make a huge amount of sense.

The rules definitely need to be changed if we are to actually manage helping staff and their patients.
I still say that there is a massive unknown in the fact that no one is managing the psychological impact to family members when they can't be with loved ones.

1. If you are protecting staff then the patient and family is not the focus. Especially as not all staff are vaccinated or don't want to be. @chocolateorangeinfuser
2. Traveling to hospital on public transport as you say, what's the point , no one is wearing masks and you're most likely to catch it on the way there or back. Family not isolating at the same time, again what's the point @mastertoseland

We need better process