COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Our priority is to keep our patients and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are restarting routine (elective) care and treatment here at QEH following extensive planning to make it as safe as possible for patients and staff.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, QEH continued to provide all emergency and urgent care to all patients that needed it and routine clinics were switched to video or phone consultations where possible. This allowed the Trust to continue with the most urgent face-to-face clinics, procedures and operations throughout the crisis.

We are phasing in the return of all of our routine (elective) work following extensive planning to make it as safe as possible for patients and staff.

Facemasks

In line with national guidance, we have reviewed our facemask wearing policy and from Thursday 25 August 2022 the following process will be in place:

Patients

• All patients attending QEH (regardless of the presence of symptoms) should be encourage to wear masks until a negative admission test result is returned
• Universal mask wearing should continue to be encouraged on haematology/oncology wards

NOTE - The requirement for patients to wear a facemask must never compromise their clinical care, such as when oxygen therapy is required or where it causes distress for example paediatric/mental health settings.

Visitors (including birthing partners)

• Visitors will be asked to wear masks within clinical areas (this extends to outpatient waiting areas) and while interacting with current inpatients
• Mask wearing is encouraged but not mandated in non-clinical areas (unless visiting an area with a current inpatient)

Outpatients

• Patients will be asked to wear masks within clinical areas (this extends to outpatient waiting areas)

Our visiting restrictions

Restricted arrangements for visiting patients remain in place.

Patient belongings

Patient belongings information can be found here.

COVID-19 vaccine

Visit our COVID-19 vaccine page for further information about the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Further information

You can find out more information about COVID-19 on the following websites:

• NHS.UK
• GOV.UK
• UK Coronavirus dashboard