We are doing everything possible to ensure that patients coming into hospital for planned care, and staff working in hospitals, will be safe as safe as possible by:

• following national guidance for infection prevention and ensuring staff are well trained in how to limit the spread of infection in hospitals 

• arranging for all patients coming to hospital to be tested for coronavirus, and for those who have tested positive to be cared for in separate areas 

• separate and physically distancing, as much as possible, the facilities where we care for urgent patients in whom we cannot exclude coronavirus, and those patients being treated for planned care. 

• carrying out regular deep cleaning of wards, operating theatres and equipment 

• ensuring staff use necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) where there is a significant risk of infection and that there are adequate stocks of PPE 

• ensuring that the right levels of staffing and equipment are in place so that surgery can take place safely 

• ensuring that all staff are routinely and regularly tested for COVID-19

Before going ahead with your treatment, you will be asked by your consultant to sign a consent form confirming that you have read this information, understood it and have had the opportunity to ask any further questions. You can also change your mind. Once you have read the information, if you are happy to proceed with your treatment, your consultant will ask you to sign the last page of the form. 

Our priority is delivering your care as safely as possible. The risk of delaying urgent care can be significant. If you decide to delay your treatment, your consultant will discuss this with you, and will continue to monitor you.

There is evidence there is increased risk of developing complications associated with surgery in patients who have coronavirus, but this is difficult to quantify as this is a new disease and there is little medical data on this new disease. Risks to consider:

• If you have, or are developing, Covid 19 when you come into hospital for your operation or if you catch Covid-19 in the hospital, then your recovery could be prolonged and there is a risk of developing serious illness. This could lead to a prolonged admission, re-admission to hospital, treatment in an intensive care unit or death. 

• Your recovery from surgery could be slowed if you catch Covid-19 in the first few months after your operation and may require re-admission to hospital. 

• The availability of post-operative therapy and rehabilitation may be more limited than previously. 

• There is evidence that some risk factors, such as age, ethnicity, and other medical conditions may increase the risk to health from Covid-19. There is presently no single factor which we can point to, and the interaction between all of the risk factors is unclear. If you have particular concerns about your risk from covid-19 (or your procedure more generally) please discuss with your consultant. 

In order to minimise the risk of you becoming infected with the coronavirus, and to ensure that we can protect our staff and other patients, we are asking all patients to follow these measures: 

• You will be tested for coronavirus about 72 hours before your treatment/procedure/operation. We will confirm where this will take place and when you will be told your results.
• You must self-isolate for the period between your Covid-19 test and the date of your treatment/procedure/operation. This means not leaving your home for any reason, even to buy food or medicine. It is very important that you follow this step for your own health and the health of hospital staff and other patients.
• If it is felt to be in your best interests, you may have been asked by your consultant to self-isolate for a certain number of days prior to your admission date. If this is the case, please only leave your home to attend your COVID-19 test.
• You must let us know if you think you have symptoms including a high temperature, new continuous cough, or loss or change in your sense of smell or taste. You should also let us know if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus within 14 days of your treatment/procedure/operation. You must also let us know if you have been contacted by the NHS Test and Trace programme, or members of your family have been contacted or displayed symptoms. 
• Your operation will not take place if you test positive for coronavirus unless it is very urgent or an emergency.