Edinburgh hospitals gradually restart services - but routine appointments won't resume for months

PRIORITY hospital appointments are gradually starting up again in Edinburgh and the Lothians, but health bosses have warned it will be months before routine clinics resume.

NHS Lothian said Covid still posed a real risk to patients and staff.

And it said some video consultations and online clinics will continue after positive feedback from patients.

Jim Crombie, deputy chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: “I would like to thank our patients for their continued understanding and support during these difficult times when many have had their appointments delayed.

“We are re-modelling our clinical pathways and access points, taking the first steps in the journey towards a new kind of normal. It is important to grasp however that ‘normal service’ will not be resuming and unfortunately this means many people will have to wait longer for access to services, particularly non-urgent, routine appointments.

“We have learnt a great deal from the unique challenges of recent months and this has helped us in planning new ways of delivering the best possible patient care.

“Working days have been extended, evening and weekend appointments are being offered and waiting rooms are being redesigned.

“I understand how frustrating it is to have appointments delayed, but would like to offer assurance that across NHS Lothian, we are working extremely hard to get things moving again.”

Mr Crombie said things would look different in both hospital and community settings for patients who do have urgent appointments.

Screens may be in use, PPE will be worn, clinical areas may have been reconfigured and waiting rooms will be quieter. Appointments could also take longer.

He said: “It is really important that if you need care or treatment you attend your appointment.

“We have made adjustments to enhance stringent infection prevention and control measures and to ensure that physical distancing requirements can be met, helping services to run as safely as possible.

“Appointment letters may ask people to come by themselves, arrive only five minutes early and to maintain social distancing when they are in waiting rooms.

“While we work to rebuild our services, we would urge patients to continue using NHS Inform for health advice, community pharmacies for minor ailments, our Call MIA service for minor injuries and of course, their GP.”

Urgent referrals and triage of priority services in key specialities such as cardiology, urology, and trauma and orthopaedics, are resuming gradually from this week, with these clinically assessed patients being prioritised.

The home birth maternity service started up again on Monday.

Some screening services, including priority endoscopy and other diagnostic tests, are working towards a gradual resumption.

Community dental practices reopened from June 21, supported by NHS Lothian’s Urgent Dental Care Centres.

And community optometry practices have started to see patients with emergency and essential eye problems from this week.