Planned operations to be postponed at York and Scarborough hospitals

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be postponing a number of planned operations due to take place in the coming weeks, in order to safely respond to the growing numbers of patients with Covid-19 that are being admitted to hospital.

Wendy Scott, Chief Operating Officer for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:

“The number of Covid-positive patients being admitted to hospital, and the increasing number of cases in some of our local communities, means that our hospitals are coming under growing pressure.

“In response to this, and in anticipation of cases rising further, we are now taking the next step in our plan which will release additional beds and staff to ensure that we have as many beds available as possible to care for these patients as the infection peaks for the second time.

“This is part of a coordinated response with other trusts to ensure that we are able to collectively ensure that we’ve got the right capacity in place (beds and staff) in good time to meet expected demands from Covid-19.

“Sadly this does mean we have to postpone some planned operations that were due to take place in the coming weeks. We are working hard to continue to do as many operations as possible within the constraints we are facing. Day case surgery will continue, and will carry out as many urgent operations, for example for patients with cancer, as we can. We will once again be working with our local independent hospitals to use their facilities for some urgent operations. Emergency patients will be treated as normal, and outpatient appointments will also continue.

“Our senior medical staff are reviewing all planned surgical admissions to prioritise the most urgent patients for the surgical beds we have available. This will continue on a daily basis during the peak.

“We know that having an operation rescheduled will be a worry and an inconvenience for those patients affected, and we are sorry that we have to do this. It is not a decision we take lightly. We will reschedule postponed operations as soon as it is possible to do so.

“Patients will be contacted either by phone or by letter if their procedure is being rescheduled. It is important that you still attend as planned if you do not hear from us before your procedure date.

“The emergency departments in both of our hospitals are also extremely busy. Please help us to help you by only using A&E for emergencies that are life or limb-threatening. If you are unsure about what to do, please consult NHS 111 first (by phone or online) to help you get the right service.

“Our staff are doing an outstanding job responding to the pandemic, however we can all play a part in reducing the spread of the virus by following the health guidance of Hands, Face, Space, and by complying with the lockdown restrictions.”

23 November 2020