COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

How we are changing the delivery of care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic

We are restarting routine (elective) care and treatment here at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn 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.

Please wear a face covering or mask if you are coming into the hospital

As routine elective activity returns to the QEH, extra safety measures have been put in place to protect patients and staff. This means that all patients coming onto site will need to bring and wear a face covering. This can be a cloth face mask or scarf and QEH staff will also be wearing facemasks while on site.

Hand sanitising stations at each entrance – ensuring you can clean your hands on arrival and when leaving the site and floor stickers have been laid throughout the main hospital corridors making it easier for everyone to socially distance.
Our routine (elective) care and treatment will be resuming at around 50% of capacity compared to normal, in line with national guidance and other NHS Trusts. This is to help ensure that extra cleaning can take place in-between patients and allow social distancing rules to be adhered to. Virtual and telephone consultations will continue for many patients where appropriate.

Visiting restrictions

Patients should attend alone unless they are a child or a vulnerable patient – including those with learning disabilities, autism or dementia – in these cases one person may accompany these patients in the Emergency Department. These measures will help keep our patients, their families and our staff safe.

Maternity

One person can attend the Maternity Unit with their pregnant partner in the following circumstances;

For their 12 week dating and 20 week anomaly ultrasound scans

During the labour and birth of their baby (which includes induction of labour)

On the Antenatal Ward if you are admitted and also on the Postnatal Ward following the birth of your baby, between the hours of 8.30am and 8.30pm

We will make all reasonable adjustments for anyone with additional needs and ask that you speak to your Midwife about any concerns you have in the first instance

NICU

For babies on NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), both parents are permitted to be with baby but only one at a time (24hrs a day). If parents wish to attend NICU together, then they need to speak to the Ward to book a time slot to do this. This is to ensure there is enough space around the cots to do this safely

Children’s wards

A patient/carer can stay with a child who is on our Children’s Ward

Outpatient appointments

One person can accompany children or adult patients who are considered vulnerable (including those with learning disabilities, autism or dementia) to outpatient appointments

One person can accompany a patient attending a cancer diagnostic appointment

Patients receiving end of life care

One person can visit a patient receiving end-of-life care. We’re asking that this is the same person in any 24-hour period, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please speak to the Ward team to discuss any special arrangements that need to be made.

If you are self-isolating

You should not attend (as a visitor or patient) if you should be self-isolating because you, or somebody close to you, has, or has had, symptoms of Covid-19 such as a high temperature, new, continuous cough, or loss or change to their sense of smell or taste. ). We are not accepting visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 and should be isolating for the required time frame.

Parking

Parking will be free for all patients, visitors and staff. We hope this move will make this difficult situation slightly better for our patients and staff. It will also make it more affordable to everyone to use their cars, rather than public transport, to get to the hospital for urgent appointments and care, and to our staff who are coming into work to care for our patients. These changes apply to the QEH site in Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, and at car parks at North Cambridgeshire Hospital in Wisbech, where services including community midwives and maternity clinics are based.

Emergency and urgent care

Our Emergency Department is for patients with urgent and immediately life-threatening conditions. This is even more important during this current situation. Please consider visiting the NHS 111 website or calling their phoneline, contacting your GP surgery or pharmacist, and self-care unless your condition is a suspected emergency.

Update for scans

As of 7 July, expectant mothers will be permitted to bring one person to their 12 and 20 week scans. Attendance to other scans are currently not permitted, however this is under regular review. Upon arrival into the hospital and throughout the appointment, please ensure face coverings are worn. These can be collected from our PPE Officers at the front entrance. We know this update has caused some upset with some mums-to-be who may have missed this opportunity, however decisions are made purely in the interest of our patients and our colleagues. We are regularly reviewing this situation under governmental guidelines and with our system partners.

Covid-19 and your information

In order to look after your health and care needs we may share your confidential patient information including healt hand care records. Further information can be found here.