Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant some operations and procedures have been postponed. The NHS is working hard to get people seen as quickly as possible.

If you (or someone you care for) are waiting on delayed medical care, you are likely to have concerns and questions.

The NHS in Greater Manchester is offering further information and advice, along with handy resources to help you manage your physical and mental wellbeing.

This includes:

• How to stay as fit and healthy as possible while you wait for your treatment
• Where to find any extra support online
• Where to find further information about approximate waiting times at different hospitals
• What to do if your condition deteriorates.

Find out more at whileyouwait.org.uk

Did you know – you may be able to get the best treatment and advice by speaking to the medical professionals and advisors who make up our NHS 111 service?

If you or your loved one have a life-threatening illness or injury then you should always use 999 – but if it isn’t quite as serious, calling 111 free of charge from a landline or mobile phone or visiting 111.nhs.uk can get you the right advice and treatment when you urgently need it.

This will ensure you are directed to the most appropriate service for your needs, and potentially save yourself a lot of waiting around in the process. In fact, up to seven out of 10 cases (67%) were resolved over the phone since October in Manchester and Trafford*, meaning patients did not even need to visit a hospital.

If you do need urgent care, NHS 111 can book you in to be seen quickly and safely in A&E. As well as this, NHS 111 is also able to direct to or book an appointment at Urgent Treatment Centres, GP surgeries, pharmacies, emergency dental services and walk-in clinics.

Just think 111 first. When you think you need A&E, contact NHS 111 by phone or online.

*67% of cases were passed from NHS 111 to a medical professional in Manchester and Trafford clinical assessment services

Mental health

If you are struggling with your mental health, you don’t always need to go direct to your doctor’s surgery or go to A&E. If you live in Manchester and Trafford, you can call 0800 953 0285, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit www.gmmh.nhs.uk/247-helpline for more information.

Community pharmacy support 

You may not need to visit your doctor to treat certain conditions and community pharmacists are a good place to start. They are trained healthcare professionals who are ready to give you advice on the best treatment for minor conditions, healthy lifestyle and use of existing medications.

There is no need to make an appointment to see your pharmacist – you can just pop in. Pharmacists understand how other health conditions, and the medications you take can potentially interact with treatments that you can buy. As experts in medicines they can help you understand what the best treatment is for you.

Details of your local pharmacy and their opening times can be found here: www.nhs.uk/chemist.

What to do if your child is unwell – when should you worry?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control. This website offers information for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

Unsure what care is best for you?

In Manchester and Trafford, we have ‘care navigators’ who work with people to ensure they are connected with the right services available to them in your local neighbourhood. They work closely with NHS services, mental health services, GP’s, social services (council), housing associations, charities, voluntary groups, social enterprise organisations and other community resources to do this.

The service is available Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm for people feeling socially isolated or lonely or are at risk of hospital re-admission. If you would like to talk to a care navigator or make a referral, call 0300 303 9650 or email mft.spa-uhsm@nhs.net.

From Monday 19^th July, all patients and visitors coming onto any MFT site must continue to follow all current Infection Prevention and Control guidance, including wearing a fluid resistant surgical mask, hand-sanitisation, and adhering to required distancing within a healthcare setting. Thank you for your continued support in helping prevent the spread of infection.

The Trust implemented an Interim Visiting Policy in March 2020 in order to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19 by reducing the footfall in our hospital and community inpatient areas. Further updates have been made to this policy over the past year in line with national and local guidance and local levels of Covid-19 infection.

We recognise that maintaining contact with friends and family during a hospital admission is important to our patients and their loved ones, and so following the national easing of lockdown restrictions we have now updated our interim visiting policy again, effective from 16^th April 2021.

MFT’s updated visiting restrictions will continue to differ depending upon the level of risk associated with a patient’s pathway as set out by NHS guidance – low, medium or high. These restrictions will also differ depending on the type of ward or unit, and whether a patient has been identified as having a specific need.

Key principles and updates to the policy are set out below:

• Visitors are required to comply with safety measures, including wearing a surgical face mask, distancing, handwashing and donning the appropriate PPE as identified by the clinical staff responsible for the patient’s care.
• For low risk adult inpatient beds, one named visitor from the patient’s household or support bubble is permitted if the risk assessment indicates that this can be achieved safely (i.e. low risk) and the patient wishes to receive a visitor.
• Any visiting is either by appointment or at the ward’s specified visiting times in order to minimise the number of visitors in a clinical area at any one time.
• Adult patients who are receiving treatment in a critical care bed may have one named visitor from the patient’s household or support bubble on a weekly basis, arranged in advance with the care team.
• Where a patient has been identified to have specific needs, such as patients receiving end of life care or people living with a learning disability and/or autism, the number of visitors permitted and the length of time they may stay will be influenced by the assessed level of risk and the capacity of the environment to enable appropriate distancing measures.
• Essential visitors who support a patient with a specific need are additional to the named visitor, providing this can be safely facilitated.
• Movement of visitors around the Trust’s premises should be minimised – please go directly to the ward when you arrive and leave the hospital as soon as your visit ends.
• For children receiving care in low risk beds, two parents/named family members who live in the same household/support bubble may visit, of which one may be resident.
• For Neonatal Units, two named visitors (usually the baby’s parents) may visit at an agreed time and providing this is deemed appropriate following assessment by the responsible senior nurse and clinician, and can be safely accommodated. One parent may stay with their baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
• Adult patients attending outpatient appointments should attend alone where possible. Patients who need to be accompanied may bring one person to their appointment.
• We aim to continue to apply the temporary restrictions with compassion.

For maternity services based at Saint Mary’s Hospital Oxford Road, Saint Mary’s based at Wythenshawe Hospital and Maternity services based at North Manchester General Hospital:

• All women can be accompanied by one named person (adult) throughout their antenatal care.
• One named person may accompany a woman for all pregnancy ultrasounds scans.
• One essential visitor and one named birth partner are permitted for all women attending delivery units or birth centres.
• One essential visitor and one named visitor are permitted in maternity wards where the risk is low or medium and one essential visitor if the level of risk is assessed as high.
• In order to protect our patients and staff, visitors who refuse to comply with Infection Control requirements will be asked to leave the Trust’s premises.

Visitors are advised not to visit any Trust premises if they are unwell; have a high temperature; a new continuous cough; a loss of or change to their sense of smell; or have had contact with a confirmed or suspected Covid-19 case. Visitors who have had Covid-19 infection must have been free of symptoms for 14 days before they are permitted to visit. Visitors who are vulnerable as a result of their medication, chronic illness, or are over the age of 70 are advised not to visit if possible.

In order to support families to maintain contact during a patient’s admission, processes have been put in place in our inpatient areas to support and encourage patients to access virtual visiting and alternative means of communicating with family and friends if they are able to do so.

In areas where visiting is restricted, our clinical staff are expected to maintain daily contact with an identified family member, as agreed by the patient or identified through a best interest process if the patient is not able to do so. The frequency of contact may be reduced if this is agreed by the patient and family.

We will continue to review the policy as new national guidance is received and in accordance with the local prevalence of Covid-19.

Thank you for your continued understanding and co-operation with these arrangements to help keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

Back in November, along with other hospitals in Greater Manchester, we took the difficult decision to cancel some planned operations to help deal with the increased number of cases of Covid 19. In recent weeks, the number of people in hospital with Covid has started to fall, as have numbers of cases in the community. Covid will be with us for some time, but we hope we are moving permanently away from the intense pressure the NHS has seen over the last year.

Due to this we are now pleased to report our plans to ramp up planned care and begin to catch up on the backlog of people waiting.

As part of our response to COVID-19, we have been transforming how we run our services. This has seen a number of changes in way our hospitals work to help keep our patients, visitors and staff safe.

Throughout the pandemic, we have worked closer with GPs, the Local Care Organisations and other hospitals across Greater Manchester to support each other in treating patients with COVID-19. This has worked well and enabled everyone to improve the efficiency of how we work by enabling patients to be treated quicker.

We know that many of you have been waiting a long time for your next appointment or planned procedure. Our priority across Greater Manchester is to review all patients who are waiting for an appointment or procedure based on clinical need and work together to look at where there is capacity for those patients to be treated.

Our consultants will be looking at who has the greatest clinical need and who has waited the longest, and prioritising people against these two key principles as each service gets back up and running.

This means that you may find you are asked to see a different consultant or offered your appointment or procedure in a different hospital than you were originally referred to including private hospitals in the independent sector if that hospital has capacity to treat you sooner. This is because some of our hospitals are still seeing more COVID-19 patients than others and we want to treat people as quickly and safely as we can.

This will help to ensure comparable waiting times across Greater Manchester for the same surgery/ procedure and help to reduce inequalities in how and when people access care and treatment.

If you are invited to have your treatment in a different place or with a different team and have any concerns, you will be able to discuss this with a clinician to talk about your options.

Throughout the pandemic, we have worked hard to tackle the impact of the pandemic and keep our patients safe. To do this, we have introduced some extra steps to safeguard you and the staff who are going to look after you whilst you are in hospital. This includes using technology to enable us to provide care remotely where appropriate, for example, using virtual consultations.

We want to reassure you that we are all focused and committed to working together to provide the best care to our patients across Greater Manchester. Please continue to bear with us and thank you to our patients for your continued support and patience.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with DrDoctor, a digital health company, is introducing digital appointment letters to support:

1. Easy and quick access to your appointment letters
2. Reduce confusion from lost letters or letters arriving in the wrong order
3. Improve accessibility for all our patients
4. Save the NHS money by reducing the amount of paper and stamps we are using
5. Reduce our environmental impact

Over the coming months, when we send you an appointment letter, we will also send you a text message with a link (nhs.my/mft) to our online portal, which allows you to view and download your appointment letters on your mobile phone, tablet or computer.

How do I view my digital letter?

1. We will send you a text message (and email if requested) when you have a new digital appointment letter to view online
2. Click the link in your text message (nhs.my/mft) to go to your secure patient portal
3. Click ‘View letter’ and login using your last name, date-of-birth and postcode
4. View and download your new digital letter online as a PDF. Your letters will be stored here for future reference
5. You can access your appointment letters from any device by visiting nhs.my/mft

When using a different device, we will send a code to your mobile phone number for security.

Patients who prefer printed appointment letters can still receive their letters by post as usual.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I have a question about my appointment or the letter received?

You should contact the department who has sent the letter using the contact details provided on the letter.

How do I continue to receive my  printed appointment letter by post?

The Trust is Digital by Default and will send appointment letters to all our patients digitally where a valid mobile number is available.  Patients who prefer paper letters can still receive their printed appointment letters by post:

1. If you don’t view your digital letter within 3 days of receiving your text message we will automatically send you a paper letter.
2. Logging in to your secure patient portal, going to the ‘Settings’ tab in the top right, and turn on the paperless option
3. Reply PRINT to your text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter

If you choose to have your letters printed, you can still access them digitally using the DrDoctor portal.

How do I know this is not a scam?

All of our digital letter invites come from the same mobile phone number: 07860 039 092. And the link to view your digital letter starts with https://nhs.my.

I’ve received a digital letter, but I can’t log in with my details

The two most common reasons are:

• When the letter is for a family member who we have your mobile phone for (e.g. a child) you need to use their date of birth to verify
• We have an old home address on our system and you may need to log in with your old address details

If you cannot log in with your details, please contact the department you have been referred to and check we have your most up-to-date:

• Full name
• Date-of-birth
• Postcode
• Mobile phone number

I can log in but when I try to open my digital letter I get a 404 error message

The main reason why you might get a 404 error message when trying to view your PDF:

• You are a patient at more than one NHS Trust and when you logged in you chose the wrong Trust portal to log in to.

How can I complete my digital letter on a tablet or computer?

If you have followed the link in your text messages and cannot log in with your correct details, it is likely we do not have your most up-to-date details on our system.  Please contact the department you have been referred and check we have your most up-to-date:

Full name

Date-of-birth

Postcode

Mobile number

I would like to receive email notifications, how can I set that up?

You can update your contact details at nhs.my/mft in the settings menu, and following these steps:

1. Log in to the patient portal nhs.my/mft
2. Go to ‘Settings’ in the top right corner of the screen
3. Click the ‘Add new’ button
4. Click ‘Email’
5. Type in your email address
6. Click ‘Add’

Does it cost me to reply to text messages?

Text message replies will be free if you have a text message bundle with your provider, otherwise you will be charged at your provider’s standard rate

You can change your digital letter setting online for free by following the link in your text messages or using nhs.my/mft

I am not receiving text messages with digital letters, should I be?

We have now rolled out digital letters in most departments across the Trust.

If you should be receiving digital letters but are not, we may not have your correct mobile number on our system. Please contact the telephone number in your appointment letter and check we have your most up-to-date mobile number.

What is DrDoctor?

DrDoctor is a digital health company modernising how hospitals and patients communicate. They provide a convenient way for patients to manage your appointments while reducing costs, saving time and developing better overall experiences for patients.

How is my data handled?

To enable us to deliver this service, we give DrDoctor only enough information to provide you with these services.

DrDoctor is accredited to the highest standards set by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens as certified here: https://www.dsptoolkit.nhs.uk/OrganisationSearch/8HY91.

For more information on DrDoctor’s privacy policy please see https://my.drdoctor.co.uk/privacy.

From Monday 30^th November, Saint Mary’s Hospital will reintroduce partners attendance to all antenatal ultrasound scans, in line with current NHS Midwifery recommendations.

For pregnant women, this means that partners will be able to be present for all scans across Saint Mary’s sites at Oxford Road, Wythenshawe and North Manchester from the following dates;

• 30^th November 2020:  All scans at Oxford Road, Wythenshawe Hospital and Trafford General Hospital
• 1^st December 2020: Dating Scans at North Manchester General Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital
• 7^th December 2020: All scans at North Manchester General Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital

We are currently undertaking a review of all patients on our waiting list for planned surgery. This is part of a national review instructed by NHSI/E. The need to create capacity to care for COVID-19 patients at MFT led to the postponement of non-emergency care, meaning that our waiting lists have grown and it will take some time before services fully recover.

Our clinical teams have reviewed our waiting lists to ensure that patients with the greatest need are treated first. We now need to validate, or confirm, our information by contacting patients to understand their circumstances and if they wish to remain on our waiting list for surgery.

We are contacting patients in phases, by text message and letter, asking them to let MFT know their preference regarding their surgery. By reviewing our waiting list and gathering this information we can ensure that we understand your most up to date medical needs and agree our next steps, whilst we prioritise treatment for our most clinically urgent patients.

We are sorry that your treatment has been delayed and we would like to thank you for your continued patience and support during this difficult time.

Here you will find a link to an Easy Read version of the letter and alternative language versions https://mft.nhs.uk/waiting-list-review-patient-letters/

In the light of increased pressure on hospital services due to COVID-19 and the requirement for capacity to treat emergency patients, some elective ( planned ) activity at hospitals in Greater Manchester (GM) is regrettably being paused. This includes some of our hospitals and services at MFT. This allows us to continue to treat all patients attending who require emergency and lifesaving treatment at the same time.

Patients affected by the decision will be contacted and supported at this difficult time. This will be reviewed on a regular basis and procedures will resume as soon as possible.

Urgent and emergency care, including cancer treatment and operations will continue as normal and it’s important that anyone with concerns continues to come forward for help and treatment.

The pause of planned care will affect a range of adult inpatient specialties, however a range of our specialist services will continue as normal.

In summary:

• We will protect the specialised commissioned work which occurs in our hospitals including but not limited to Cancer, Cardiac Services, Vascular Surgery, Transplantation; and services where we provide regional services (e.g. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, St Mary’s Hospital and University Dental Hospital of Manchester).These services will continue.
• Trafford General Hospital will cease all elective operations as part of the above
• Bed capacity for emergency patients is being expanded at our Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wythenshawe Hospital sites
• Our Diagnostic services including Endoscopy, X-ray and the majority of our out-patient services will remain unaffected.

These steps are required to provide:

• The medical, therapist and nursing cover to the expanded critical care bed base which we need to manage COVID and other patients
• Safe ward staffing of general and acute beds

We know many people waiting for treatment will be concerned and disappointed, and we apologise to you for this.

Our hospitals and services will be contacting everyone affected by cancellations as soon as possible with more information on next steps.

We will keep the situation under review and planned care services will be restored as soon as possible.

Patient FAQs

Service changes in response to COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has made a number of temporary changes to the way in which services are delivered.

This is to ensure that:

• There is enough capacity to treat patients with COVID-19
• We are able to continue to treat as many patients as possible – both emergency patients and those with elective, or planned, appointments and procedures
• We are doing everything we can to minimise the spread of the virus.

A number of temporary service changes are currently underway, as follows:

Cardiac services

All MFT patients who require elective cardiac surgery will be treated at Wythenshawe Hospital and patients who require urgent or emergency surgery will continue to be treated at both Wythenshawe Hospital and Manchester Royal Infirmary. Also, elective cardiology patients who require an overnight stay will be treated at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Trauma and Orthopaedics

The fracture clinic at Trafford Hospital has been closed for face to face appointments, with patients being seen via virtual clinics.

The fractured neck of femur (hip) service has transferred from Manchester Royal Infirmary to the dedicated Neck of femur unit based at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Non-complex orthopaedic planned procedures have moved from Wythenshawe Hospital to Trafford General Hospital.

Stroke services

Stroke rehabilitation services at Wythenshawe Hospital have been re-located to Trafford Hospital.

Vascular surgery

All vascular inpatient services have been transferred from Wythenshawe Hospital to Manchester Royal Infirmary and, including emergency and elective surgery. Outpatient services will remain at both sites.

Head and Neck surgery

Head and neck cancer patients from North Manchester General Hospital are now receiving their surgery on the Manchester Royal Infirmary site.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

All elective gynaecology patients from across MFT are being seen at Saint Mary’s Hospital.

All emergency gynaecology services, including emergency surgery and early pregnancy assessment services, are taking place at Wythenshawe Hospital.

There is now a single ambulatory diagnostic and treatment service at the Oxford Road site, bringing together services that were previously run separately from Trafford, Wythenshawe and Oxford Road.

General gynaecology outpatient services will be provided from Withington Community Hospital.

Community midwifery services are relocating to Borchardt Medical Centre in Withington with antenatal clinics being run from Trafford Hospital.

Altrincham Minor Injuries Unit

The minor injuries unit has temporarily been closed with activity redirected to our MRI, Trafford and Wythenshawe hospitals.

Dermatology services at Trafford

Dermatology services delivered at Trafford General Hospital have now relocated to join the service at Withington Community Hospital.

Trafford non-elective activity

Emergency admissions to Trafford have stopped from early October with activity redirected to other MFT hospital sites.

Urgent Care Centre/Walk-in Centre at Trafford General Hospital

There is now an appointment-based system for the Urgent Care Centre and Walk-in Centre at Trafford General Hospital. All patients will need to make an appointment before they arrive by dialling 111.

Independent Sector

As part of national NHS and other local arrangements we are also using Independent Sector facilities for a number of services to ensure patients are seen more quickly.

Waiting for Hospital Treatment

• From March 2020, the UK has been responding to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, which has had a major effect on NHS services. The need to create capacity to care for COVID-19 patients led to the postponement of non-emergency care to treat patients who were critically ill with the virus.
• From June 2020, the NHS has been working as quickly as possible to re-introduce routine care, including diagnostic procedures and operations. Our activity levels are now close to being back to normal, however waiting lists have grown and it will take some time before services fully recover.
• If you are having treatment or waiting for treatment, we want to keep you updated so you understand why there are delays. We will also keep you informed about what to expect regarding your own care and how long you may have to wait.
• Your safety is our first priority so we have robust infection control measures in place, including creating separate areas in the hospital for COVID-19 patients and those who do not have the virus; regular deep cleaning; effective use of personal protective equipment for staff, patients and visitors; testing staff and patients for COVID-19.

NHS hospitals are now as safe from Covid-19 as they can be, with strict infection controls to protect you. There could be serious risks to your health if you miss an appointment.Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.

When will I get the treatment I need?

Our teams are working hard to ensure that patients are seen as quickly as possible. Our activity levels are now close to being back to normal, however waiting lists have grown.
If you were on a waiting list before the COVID-19 outbreak, you will still be on a waiting list, unless we have written to you to advise you differently. GPs have continued to refer patients for hospital treatment and they have been added to hospital waiting lists.
Clinicians are going through waiting lists very carefully and patients will be seen depending on the state of their health. People with the greatest need will be seen first, followed by those who have been waiting longest. The lists will be reviewed regularly as we know some people’s conditions could deteriorate, so whereas they might not have been a priority to start with, that could change while they are waiting.
If we need to make any changes to your appointment we will try to let you know well in advance and we will try not to cancel or postpone any appointments or procedures that have been booked.

Why do I have to wait longer for my treatment?

Throughout the NHS, teams have adapted how they work to meet new Infection Prevention and Control requirements so services are provided in a safe environment. We have introduced a number of additional processes to protect staff and patients:

• We are following social distancing guidance. This means that patients are more spaced out on wards and in other hospital facilities, which reduces the number of people who can be treated at any one time.
• We have increased infection control and deep cleaning measures. COVID-19 is highly infectious and is spread by droplets caused by coughing, sneezing and talking. In hospitals we do many procedures which release airborne droplets that can linger on surfaces for up to three days. For example, the air in theatres has to be changed between procedures, which is time-consuming and reduces the number of patients who can be treated.
• We have clear guidance for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep staff and patients safe. We have to ensure we have enough and the right type of PPE. The time required to take PPE on and off also creates delays.
• The number of COVID-19 patients being treated in hospital is currently very small, however hospitals need to retain some capacity to deal with an unpredictable number of COVID-19 cases in the months ahead.

In addition, there will be a small number of staff at any one time who need to self isolate. Fewer staff means we can’t look after as many patients as before, or hold as many clinics.

What are you doing to reduce waiting times?

Our activity levels are now close to being back to normal, however waiting lists have grown and it will take some time before services fully recover.
Local hospitals are working together to do everything they can. COVID-19 has changed the way we work and constrained our capacity to treat as many patients as before the pandemic.
Where possible, we are using video and telephone consultations, to increase the numbers of patients we can treat and also to reduce the need for patients to visit hospital.
We are also working with the independent hospital sector to send some NHS patients to local independent hospitals for tests and less complex procedures.
Hospitals are working together across Cheshire and Merseyside to maximise our resources, such as making available specialist equipment and staff. This means that patients who are prioritised may be asked to go to another hospital for quicker treatment.

How will we keep you informed?

We are sorry that you may have to wait longer for your treatment.
We will keep you informed and appreciate your patience and understanding during the next few weeks and months.
We will work with your GP practice to ensure that we communicate with you about your care, how long you will wait and who to contact in the event that your circumstances change.
Please sign up to our social media channels and view our website for general updates.

You must NOT attend an appointment if you or any member of your household are suffering from any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or are self-isolating. If this applies to you, please contact your GP practice so that you can reschedule your appointment for a different time.

To help prepare hospital for outpatients we have made changes to how we care for our patients and included what you should do onsite below:

Please arrive at the hospital in the same manner as you would normally do so. Entrances to the hospital may be restricted, please follow guidance upon arrival at the hospital. You will see signage and security based around the site that can assist you if you are unsure.

When entering the hospital you will need to wear a face covering. Paper masks will be available and handed out at hospital entrances if you do not have your own.

If you arrive early please wait to enter the hospital until 10 minutes before your appointment. This helps reduce the total number of people in the hospital at any one time to support social distancing measures.

Please attend the appointment on your own, unless you have a carer. Children attending may do so with one parent or guardian.

If driven to hospital by a relative or friend, they will not be allowed to accompany you to your appointment unless they are also your carer.

When in the hospital you may see screens at receptions and fewer seats in waiting room areas, these changes are to support social distancing measures.

Whilst the on-site shops may be open for refreshments, many cafes are still closed. We would recommend bringing your own food and drink if required.

Upon arrival at your appointment we will screen you for COVID-19, which will involve a number of questions around COVID-19 symptoms.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had contact with an individual with a diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 7 days, please do not attend the outpatient appointment and instead contact us so that a clinical decision can be made.

Due to the COVID-19 response, our service will have a reduced number of appointments available. If you choose not to attend your appointment, please contact us. It is helpful for us to know why so we can help with any concerns you might have. If you still do not wish to attend, we can offer it to someone else.

Outpatient appointments

• Seats that should not be used have a note on them, allowing us to keep a safe distance between patients.
• Don’t turn up more than 10 minutes before your appointment
• Only people that have an appointment should attend – unless they have specific care needs that require additional support or are a child.
• Please do not lean over or go around the side of plastic screens on reception desks, they are there to protect patients and staff.
• We may have asked you to attend your appointment at a clinic that is not at your usual venue;
• The appointment may take longer than usual.

Hygiene

• Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• Wash your hands as soon as you get back home
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

Changes to distancing in Outpatient & ED Waiting Areas

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been making changes to how we deliver services across MFT. Managing patients’ waits within our hospital and community clinics and Emergency Departments is an important part of this work.

Following on from national changes to social distancing, which permit a distance of 1 metre plus with risk mitigation in certain circumstances, patients using waiting rooms in areas such as Outpatients and Emergency Departments can now move to 1 metre plus distancing, providing patients are wearing a face mask. Chairs and seating areas that can be used by patients will need to continue to be clearly marked to maintain this distancing, and patients should still be advised not to bring anyone else with them when they attend the hospital, except in specific circumstances, in line with the current visiting policy.

It is important that services are planned so that patients arrive just in time to their appointments, in order to limit the number of people in waiting areas at any one time and to minimise the length of time patients spend in waiting areas. As stipulated in the MFT Protocol for the use of face masks, all patients, visitors and staff will continue to be required to wear a face mask when on any MFT site, including community locations. Alcohol gel will continue to be available on arrival, and must be used before entering any area.

Protective Equipment

All staff, outpatients and visitors will be required to wear a face mask and sanitise their hands when entering one of our hospitals at MFT.

Masks and sanitiser will be available at the hospital entrance if visitors do not already have them. This is for your safety and the safety of other patients and staff.

The use of face coverings when attending MFT Hospitals

From Monday, 15^th June 2020 all staff, visitors and outpatients will be required to wear a face mask when entering one of our Hospitals across all of our sites at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).

This includes; Manchester Royal Infirmary, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, Trafford General Hospital, Altrincham Hospital, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, University Dental Hospital of Manchester and North Manchester General Hospital.

Face masks will be provided for patients and visitors at the entrance of our hospitals.

What does this mean for me?

We can all play a role in reducing the spread of coronavirus and keeping our hospitals safe. If you are coming to hospital as a visitor or for planned outpatient care, it is important that you wear a face covering at all times. This is for your safety and the safety of other patients and staff.

If you are currently shielding and have been provided with a surgical face mask for your appointments, please continue to use this. If you have not been provided with a surgical face mask, you should wear your own face mask or a disposable face mask will be provided to you on arrival to the hospital.

For some people, wearing a face covering may be difficult due to physical or mental health conditions. In these instances, other measures will be considered on a case by case basis, for example timed appointments and being seen immediately on arrival.

If you are a deaf or hearing impaired, our staff have a range of communication options to ensure that they can communicate effectively with you. This might include the use of clear masks where possible, as well as visual aids such as writing things down, speech to text apps and sign language.

All visitors to our hospital sites will also be expected to comply with existing social distancing and hand hygiene measures in addition to the face coverings while in the hospital setting.

How to wear a facemask

Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting the mask on and after taking it off. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth at all times and store used re-useable face coverings in a plastic bag until you have an opportunity to wash them.

Do not touch the front of the face mask, or the part of the face covering that has been in contact with your mouth and nose.

When wearing a face mask ensure that it covers your nose and mouth at all times and is not allowed to dangle around your neck as this can be a source of cross infection.

The face mask should continue to be worn by a patient or visitor until it can be removed and discarded into the waste bin provided at the exit of the building.

10.04.20

Restricted Access to Manchester Royal Infirmary

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals on Oxford Road Campus, including Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI).

Please see below for further guidance.

Access to MRI

• The Emergency Departments will continue to allow access for the entry and exit of patients.

 24 hours access to MRI

• Access to the MRI will be via the single access point which is Saint Mary’s Hospital
• Main site entrance on the boulevard for adult patients and visitors

Restricted Access to Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals on Oxford Road Campus, including Manchester Royal Eye Hospital (MREH).

Please see below for further guidance. Security will be present to facilitate the flow of patients and visitors attending the hospital with support from the Family Liaison Hub.

If you are a patient attending a planned appointment please bring your letter with you.

Access to MREH restricted to 08:00 – 20:00

• Access via the main MREH Hospital Entrance for planned appointments and for the MREH Emergency Department
• Patients’ entrance for pharmacy collections from pick up points in MREH – only one adult to attend for collection unless support needed due to mobility issues

Restricted Access to Saint Mary’s Hospital

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals on Oxford Road Campus, including Saint Mary’s Hospital.

Please see below for further guidance. Security will be present to facilitate the flow of patients and visitors attending the hospital with support from the Family Liaison Hub.

If you are a patient attending a planned appointment please bring your letter with you.

24 hours access to SMH

• Main site entrance on the boulevard for adult patients and visitors (including Emergency Gynaecology)
• Patient entrance for pharmacy collections from pick up points in RMCH – only one adult to attend for collection unless support needed due to mobility issues

Restricted Access to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals on Oxford Road Campus, including Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Security will be present to facilitate the entry for parents with children attending for surgery or appointments with support from the Family Liaison Hub.

Access to RMCH restricted to 07:00 – 20:00

• Main entrance for children who are patients only (with accompanying parents)

Restricted Access to Wythenshawe Hospital

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals within MFT, including Wythenshawe Hospital.

Security will be present to facilitate the flow of patients and visitors attending the hospital with support from the Family Liaison hub.

The following entry and exit points are accessible with Security assistance;

• Entrance 3
• Entrance 5
• Entrance 6
• Entrance 8
• Entrance 13
• Entrance 15
• Emergency Department

Restricted Access to Trafford General Hospital

As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are implementing the following changes to our entrances and exits at all of our hospitals within MFT, including Trafford General Hospital (TGH).

Access restrictions at TGH

• ALL access control entry and exit points will be operational 24hours per day
• The Urgent Care Centre (Entrance 10) accessible to staff, patients and visitors between 07:00 – 19:00.

7.04.20

As part of our response to the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, please note that from Tuesday 7th April 2020, we are temporarily relocating all services for paediatric emergencies to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, so Wythenshawe Hospital’s Emergency Department will not accept paediatric emergencies. All ambulances will now divert to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department. This is to support the increased need for critical care at Wythenshawe Hospital during this time.

In the event of an emergency, parents, guardians and carers must now take children to the Paediatric Emergency Department, Oxford Road, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL.  It is extremely important that children are not taken to the Wythenshawe Hospital Emergency Department.

We will update you further when the paediatric emergency services and Starlight Children’s Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital are re-opened.

Thank you in advance for your support to the NHS and the wider community at this particular time.

Attending a planned inpatient procedure

If you are attending MFT for a planned inpatient procedure, it is no longer a routine requirement to self-isolate for 14 days. This is in line with national guidance for all, including those extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

Ahead of your appointment, you will have been in contact with your consultant, doctor or GP who will have talked you through the following recommended guidance for planned procedures:

• Follow comprehensive social distancing and hand hygiene measures for 14 days before your planned procedure (click here for government advice on social distancing).
• Three days before your planned procedure, you will have a COVID-19 test to ensure you are not positive for the virus.
• You will need to self-isolate from the day you have your COVID-19 test until your admission into hospital.

However, we do understand that each patient’s circumstances are different and in some cases you may be advised to self-isolate for 14 days prior to your procedure. You can also opt-in to do this yourself based on your individual circumstances if you wish to do so.

Those who do self-isolate for 14 days will still be required to have a COVID-19 test three days before their planned procedure at MFT.