During the peak period of Covid-19 routine planned surgeries for our patients had to be postponed, in line with national guidance. From this week, we will begin a phased re-introduction at King George Hospital (KGH). 

Dr Magda Smith, our Chief Medical Officer, said: “Due to Covid-19 we had to defer planned surgeries for a number of patients, and unfortunately the continuing threat and impact of this virus means we cannot simply wait for it to pass, therefore we have restructured a number of our services so that we can begin to reintroduce them safely.

“We have introduced a number of measures including zoning sections of King George Hospital, restricting public access and staff movement, creating new entrances, and increasing patient pre-assessment checks.”

Patients offered a planned surgery appointment will be required to self-isolate for a period of time (dependent on the procedure they are undergoing) before and after their surgery. They will also have an antigen swab test, 48 to 72 hours before their surgery and have a temperature check on the day of their procedure.  They will only enter the ‘green’ zone of KGH, and they will have their own dedicated entrance and exit.

Staff working with these patients in the green zone will be required to complete a self-assessment and have a temperature check at the start of each shift.

“By restricting movement,” Magda added, “adhering to strict infection prevention and control procedures and carrying out additional pre-assessment patient checks, we are making the green zone as safe and as Covid-19 free as we possibly can. We will review our processes at every step, making any necessary adjustments to ensure our patients and staff can be treated, and work, as safely as possible.”