NHS Highland has cancelled all non-urgent outpatient reviews and diagnostic tests as measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic are stepped up.
The health board says the move aims to enable staff to support essential services and patient care during increased demand on its services.
Face to face outpatient attendances will be ‘on an exceptional basis’ in an attempt to stop the transmission of infection.
A statement from the health board today asked the public not to turn up for an outpatient appointment they specifically instructed to do so.
It adds: “While all booked outpatient reviews and diagnostic appointments have been cancelled details of these will be sent to the responsible clinicians for review in order to identify priority and urgent patients.
“If you are identified as urgent your appointment will be done via telephone or NHS Near Me if at all possible.
“If you are identified as urgent and there is a need to see you on a face to face basis you will be screened by telephone for symptoms or risks of COVID-19 by the responsible clinical team prior to your attendance. Please expect to be screened again when you attend your appointment.
“We appreciate that these arrangements are a considerable departure from usual practice and will cause disruption for a large number of patients.
“This is not an action that we are taking lightly and hope you understand that these decisions have been made in order to maintain our ability to provide essential patient care and to protect our staff and our communities.”
In Kilcreggan
NHS Highland has cancelled all non-urgent outpatient reviews and diagnostic tests as measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic are stepped up.
The health board says the move aims to enable staff to support essential services and patient care during increased demand on its services.
Face to face outpatient attendances will be ‘on an exceptional basis’ in an attempt to stop the transmission of infection.
A statement from the health board today asked the public not to turn up for an outpatient appointment they specifically instructed to do so.
It adds: “While all booked outpatient reviews and diagnostic appointments have been cancelled details of these will be sent to the responsible clinicians for review in order to identify priority and urgent patients.
“If you are identified as urgent your appointment will be done via telephone or NHS Near Me if at all possible.
“If you are identified as urgent and there is a need to see you on a face to face basis you will be screened by telephone for symptoms or risks of COVID-19 by the responsible clinical team prior to your attendance. Please expect to be screened again when you attend your appointment.
“We appreciate that these arrangements are a considerable departure from usual practice and will cause disruption for a large number of patients.
“This is not an action that we are taking lightly and hope you understand that these decisions have been made in order to maintain our ability to provide essential patient care and to protect our staff and our communities.”
In Kilcreggan, Boots pharmacy is now allowing two customers only in the shop at any one time. The pharmacy will also be closing every day between 1pm and 2pm
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