Deferral of procedure and appointments at Saolta hospitals

The hospitals in the Saolta Group are deferring all but very urgent and time critical inpatient and day surgery from 05 January. Outpatient clinics will also be curtailed and some of these will take place virtually unless it is absolutely necessary for patients to be seen.

These measures are been taken to help the hospitals manage the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases currently being treated in the hospitals and the rising numbers in the community which are likely to lead to further hospitalisations.

The deferrals will be for a two week period initially and will be kept under review.

A small number of urgent cancer and time-critical inpatient and day case procedures will proceed.

Patients are notified directly if their appointment or procedure is being deferred. We ask patients who are attending the hospital for a procedure to continue to follow all the public health guidance including wearing a face mask. We also remind patients to attend the hospital alone, unless the support of another person is essential.

We regret the impact that these deferrals will have on our patients but it is a really important part of maintaining critical and emergency services.

Visiting restrictions remain in place at the hospitals. Members of the public should not visit any hospital except on compassionate grounds and these visits should be arranged in advance with the nurse manager on the ward.