During the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic the planned care programme at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was stood down meaning patients coming in for elective surgery had their operations postponed and patients awaiting a date for admission had their cases delayed.
This action was essential to keep patients and staff safe and to protect the NHS so it was able to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. We thank all patients for their understanding during this time.
We have now begun to resume our elective programme and are focusing initially on cancer and urgent cases. Understandably, you may be worried about coming forward for surgery or in-patient treatment in the hospital at the present time, but we can assure you that all necessary precautions are being taken to manage the risk.
And as a major part of these precautions, if you are invited to attend for surgery, you will be required to self-isolate at home, along with the other members of your household, for the 14 days immediately before your admission date.
If you are listed for an endoscopy procedure the isolation time is seven days.
You will also be asked to attend for a Covid-19 test 72 to 48 hours ahead of your admission date to ensure you are not carrying the virus.
Testing is taking place at our drive through facility at Blackpool stadium and we will arrange the test for you. If you are unable to drive we can make arrangements for a home test. If you live out of area then we can liaise with the other Trust in Lancashire to attend there site for a swab.
It is vitally important that you adhere to these requirements ahead of surgery to minimise any risk of infection both to yourself and our other patients.
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