Surgery back on the table
Central Middlesex Hospital has been designated a ‘covid protected’ hospital so surgical procedures can resume after an absence of two months.
Patients and staff entering the hospital now have their temperature taken with a hand-held thermal scanner at one of two entrances.
Any staff member with a temperature above 37.8C is asked to go home, self-isolate and be tested for Covid-19, while patients are risk-assessed and have their appointment rescheduled unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The temperature checks are one of several tools being used in the hospital to keep the virus in check including restricting the number of visitors, social distancing and hand washing.
Chief Executive Chris Bown said: “A high temperature is just one potential sign of Covid-19 so the thermal checks aren’t foolproof and don’t necessarily mean you have the virus.
“However, they do provide us with another line of defence in helping minimise the risk of Covid-19 getting into the hospital.”
Endoscopy has already resumed with theatres restarting this week to start clearing a backlog of cases including urgent Ear, Nose and Throat cases involving children.
There is a dedicated entrance for endoscopy and theatre patients with a covid protected pathway throughout their visit.
More than 800 people are expected to have temperature checks every day.