COVID-19 - Information and Advice
At Whittington Health NHS Trust we have implemented a number of changes to ensure that we can continue to provide safe, compassionate and effective care for those people who need it throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
All of these changes are designed to ensure the safety of our people and our patients.
If you are looking for general health advice on COVID-19 or if you think you may have symptoms, please check the latest advice at www.nhs.uk. You can also listen to recorded information from our Chief Nurse Michelle by calling 020 7288 3211.
Please Bear With us:
Everyone across the trust is working extremely hard at the moment. A number of our colleagues are currently not able to work because of the virus and others have been redeployed from their usual roles to support our response to the virus. Therefore you may experience a longer than expected wait to get through to us on the phone and to receive a response to queries. Please be understanding, patient and kind to our colleagues at this time, we will respond as quickly as we can. If there is a life threatening emergency you should always call 999.
Specific Changes to Policies and Services
Click on the links below for more detail information on specific changes necessary at this time:
- Changes to our Visitors Policy
- If you can't visit a friend or loved one - send a "thinking of you" message.
- Changes to Maternity Services and Home Births
- Changes to Children's In-patient (IFOR Ward) and Children's Emergency Department
- Changes to Islington's Healthy Start Scheme and Vitamin distribution
- Dental Services
- Temporary changes to non-urgent patient transport services
Using NHS Servies during COVID-19: Easy Read Guides
Below are guides to using NHS services such as your GP, attending outpatient appointments or coming to the Accident and Emergency Department written in 'easy-read' style. Whilst helpful for all, they are especially accessible for those who have specific needs such as a learning disability or autism.
Helping and Support for Children with Autism
You can find specialist advice and support to help you and your child who has Autism during the outbreak by clicking here. The information is tailored to children of different ages and will also help your child to understand Coronavirus.
Trust Wide Changes
We would like to offer assurance that whilst you should not come to our hospital unless it is absolutely necessary it remains safe to attend and ask patients to attend all scheduled appointments. There is no reason to cancel an appointment.
When you are at one of our sites, including our hospital we ask you to respect the 2m social distancing guidelines.
Elective surgery
At this time we need to prioritise the most sick and vulnerable as well as cancer patients. In order to free up space, we are stopping elective activity and will only be doing urgent or cancer (day case or inpatient) elective surgery from 16 March onwards. This will free up space in recovery for more ITU capacity and allow us to train more people in ITU skills and management of acutely sick respiratory patients.
At this time we need to prioritise the most sick and vulnerable as well as cancer patients. In order to free up space, we are stopping elective activity and will only be doing urgent or cancer (day case or inpatient) elective surgery from 16 March onwards. This will free up space in recovery for more ITU capacity and allow us to train more people in ITU skills and management of acutely sick respiratory patients.
Community based services
We are currently offering essential adult and children's services only. This is by video or telephone with face to face contacts only as essential. Health staff are prioritising essential work and are being redeployed to support the work of the hospital where possible.
We are currently offering essential adult and children's services only. This is by video or telephone with face to face contacts only as essential. Health staff are prioritising essential work and are being redeployed to support the work of the hospital where possible.
Support Whittington Health and its Staff via our Charity
We are grateful and humbled by the many and varied offers of support to the trust and our colleagues at this very busy period. To find out more about how you can add your support please click here.
We are involved in COVID-19 Research
There are currently no approved treatments for COVID-19. We want to help change that. This is why Whittington Health is participating in the RECOVERY - Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy study being run by Oxford University and endorsed by the Chief Medical Officers for the UK.
This trial will assess the effects of different treatments, including re-purposed and novel drugs, on major outcomes in COVID-19. All patients will receive the usual care from the participating hospitals.
You can find more details about the study as well as the Participant Information Sheet and Consent form by clicking here. If you would like to get involved, please contact Kathryn Simpson, our Research Portfolio Manager.