Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Emergency
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Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board understand this is a concerning times for patients, families and carers. We want to ensure that where possible we have provided information to reduce these concerns. We have made contact with individuals where required to discuss their ongoing health and care needs. The below provides a summary where due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the way we deliver care has changed. It is important to note please that this is a quickly evolving situation and we will contact individuals when any changes if the way we deliver care affects them. Emergency Department & Medical Assessment Unit The way we run our Emergency Departments and Medical Assessment Units at Royal Glamorgan Hospital and Princess of Wales Hospital and Clinical Decision Unit at Prince Charles Hospital has changed, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. All of Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB teams have been working hard to keep patients and staff as safe as possible. Teams in Emergency Departments across our sites have identified separate areas for COVID and non COVID patients to ensure the safety of those receiving care and working in these areas. All patients will still report to the main Emergency Department reception where they will be given a screening tool to assess their COVID or non COVID status. Patients attending ED will be asked to queue according to Social Distancing guidelines to minimise the spread of the virus. Below is an update from Nick Lyons (Medical Director) and Marcus Longley (Chair) on Royal Glamorgan Hospital Accident and Emergency Services; To facilitate the Health Board’s response to Coronavirus COVID-19, we are temporarily pausing most activities within the project considering the future of emergency medicine (A&E) and other related services at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Some background work will continue, to consolidate progress that has already been made and to plan for further engagement with the public, staff and our partner organisations in the future. We will not, however, be doing any work that will divert clinical staff from their primary roles. Our primary focus over the coming weeks is to ensure the continuity of essential services. The whole NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge, and this must be our top priority. We are grateful to all those who have participated in the Health Board’s recent engagement events and we look forward to resuming our conversation with the public our staff and elected representatives about options for future service delivery at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital once COVID-19 is under control. 1 Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Visiting Members of the community are asked not to visit any of our hospitals at all, except for in the circumstances below: The patient is receiving end-of-life care (visiting to be agreed with clinical team) One partner or birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour and in the post-natal period for a limited time only. No other visitors will be allowed. Paediatrics and neonatal areas (one person only as agreed with the clinical team) New national guidance from the Chief Nursing Officer says that visiting patients not infected with COVID19 should be permitted for someone with an issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient/service user to be distressed. Please note that you must not visit if you are feeling unwell, especially if you have a high temperature or new persistent cough. Further advice for relative / friend of admitted patient. We have free WiFi on all our sites, so we’re encouraging families and carers to speak to patients via smartphones and tablets. Apps like Skype, WhatsApp and FaceTime allow video communication, but WiFi assisted phone calls and plain emails are also options. We would however ask our patients to abide by these guidelines when using their devices. If you have any concerns regarding your friend or relative then please contact the Patient Advocacy Liaison Service via E mail at [email protected] or Telephone 01443 744915. Laundry Swap To all relatives and friends of patients that are currently an inpatient within Cwm Taf Morgannwg. We appreciate your support and understanding that, in order to protect our patients, staff and yourselves of the COVID-19 virus, we had to adopt the difficult, but necessary, decision in line with other Health Boards in Wales to stop all visiting to our inpatient hospitals including dropping off or picking up supplies for patients. We understand that this is an extremely difficult time for everyone and we want to let you know that our PALS team are here to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are on hand to help with a laundry swap service. The service will arrange to pick up and drop off laundry and essential items for your loved one. You can contact the PALS team on the below: Princess of Wales Hospital- 01656 754194 - [email protected] Prince Charles Hospital and Royal Glamorgan Hospital - 01443 744915 - [email protected] Please be aware that in the coming weeks this service may need to be re-assessed in line with infection control advice. We therefore ask families not to buy expensive items and only use the service for essential items, as items may not be able to be returned and may need to be disposed of. 2 Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Appointments & Booking Centre As we deal with the challenge of COVID-19 Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB has postponed routine surgery, outpatient clinics and appointments. Decisions around reducing planned surgery and outpatient activity to ensure clinicians can prioritise delivery of emergency services have been carefully considered. A number of services have also been transferred from one hospital site to another to increase capacity for emergency care. These service changes include clinics from the below specialities: Prince Charles Hospital to Ysbyty Cwm Cynon Gynaecology – Outpatient Clinic Cardiology – Heart Failure Nurse Outpatient Clinic Neurology Outpatient Clinic Diabetic Retinopathy outpatient clinic General Surgery - Surgical outpatient clinics Dermatology outpatient clinic Rheumatology outpatient clinic DMARD outpatient clinic Biopsy Clinic Urology outpatient clinic Gastroenterology - outpatient clinic/ Irritable Bowel Disease – Clinical Nurse Specialist Trauma & Orthopaedics - MSK clinic Royal Glamorgan Hospital to Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda Obstetrics – Antenatal outpatient department Cardiology – Outpatient clinics Dermatology – outpatient clinics Respiratory outpatient clinics ENT outpatient clinics General surgery outpatient clinics Gynaecology outpatients Princess of Wales Hospital to Maesteg Hospital Ophthalmology Dermatology / Gastro and Respiratory Please note, some other services have moved to community locations If you have any urgent queries relating to these service changes please contact Appointment Centre - 01443 443096 Whereby appointments have been cancelled or postponed, patients medical records have been reviewed by a Clinician and the following may occur – 3 Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board The Consultant may arrange a further appointment in the near future, but at a different location The Consultant may telephone you The Consultant may write to you or your GP regarding any further treatment. If none of the above occur, we will reorganise your appointment when normal services are up and running. If your symptoms deteriorate significantly while awaiting a review, please contact us on the telephone number at the top of your outpatient letter and let the team know which specialist/ waiting list you are on, whereby the team will then arrange a phone call review by a member of the clinical team as soon as possible. Community Services (DRAFT) The way we are delivering our services from community setting has changed due to covid 19. Further Details to be included from Directorate. 4 Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Trauma and Orthopaedic Service Due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the way we deliver care within the Trauma and Orthopaedic Service is changing. Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB Trauma and Orthopaedic Hub is manned by a consultant between 0900-2100h 7 days a week. The service is currently only operating on urgent trauma cases, being planned in as day cases wherever possible. The consultant led team see any urgent referrals from A&E, Minor injuries Unit, the acute physiotherapy service and GPs. Consultants are available for urgent telephone advice for any of the above and also include; outpatient specialties inpatient specialties outlying hospital T&O problems Where appointments have been cancelled due to current circumstances, patients may have received a letter or a telephone call. Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB T&O Hub are trying to minimise hospital appointments, where possible, particularly for vulnerable patients. Patients may receive different splints or plasters, or be asked to remove their own, rather than being asked to clinic to change or check plasters. The health board may choose not to operate on certain injuries if the risk of COVID infection following admission is too great. For those injuries, the health board may need to operate at a later date when safe to do so. Follow up appointments can be carried out by telephone, or could be planned in if patients are having problems and require urgent assistance. The health board are trying to avoid patients having to attend site by using removable splints or referring directly to physiotherapy. Any cancelled routine appointments will be reinstated as soon as deemed safe to do so. If you have any urgent queries relating to T&O service changes please see below contact guidance; If already under a named consultant, patients can ring the consultant’s secretary on their usual number for advice 0900-1700h Monday to Friday. The secretary will contact the consultant for further advice or review. For problem with a plaster, the plaster room can be contacted 0900-2100h daily on 01443 443443 ext 74049.