Nick Hulme, Chief Executive of the largest NHS Trust in East Anglia, is urging all of our communities not to be afraid of coming to hospital if people need treatment and care.
“Help us to help you is our very clear message. We know that many people who need urgent or immediate help are not coming into hospital or visiting their family doctors. I completely understand the fear and apprehension everyone may be feeling, but we really do need to give people confidence so that people get the care they need.” he said.
“I know that we are seeing a 69% decrease in the number of referrals that we are receiving for patients suspected of having cancer, and that we are only seeing a very limited number of people who need urgent and immediate help for strokes and cardiac care.
“We need to change this and we need to do this quickly. What we are doing now is to continue to plan the care of our patients who need urgent and essential treatment. We are reviewing the plans we made with our patients waiting for surgery and are working hard to offer new dates for all those whose operation is urgent.
“We will only bring you into hospital for a test or to see a specialist when a face to face meeting is needed. Wherever possible, we will carry out virtual appointments so that you do not have to leave your home and come to the hospital. This will be by telephone or by a video link.
“There is a great deal of work going on to make our hospitals and services safe and clean.
This includes extra cleaning in all areas. It also involves having specific and dedicated areas throughout our services which are known as ‘green areas’ – places where no-one being cared for with COVID-19 has been treated.
“And we are very clear about the importance of social distancing – staying at least two metres away from one another,” Nick added.
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