Updates
Update, 30 May 2022
Published: 30 May 2022
Changes to testing guidance for elective patients
In line with changes to national infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance, the Trust has revised its policies for managing elective activity.
The C135 policy has been updated, and the changes include the following:
Day case patients
Patients who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and are deemed to be low risk by their treating clinician, will not be required to take a COVID-19 test prior to admission.
Patients who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, will be required to take a lateral flow test within 72 hours before their admission to hospital.
These patients will be required to acquire their own lateral flow test from the government website and upload their results to the government portal.
They can do so at this address:
Patients will also need to bring evidence of the result of their lateral flow test on the day of admission. This can be in the form of an email or text message from gov.uk.
If the test result is positive, a clinical review will need to take place and the team should risk assess on a decision to proceed or cancel the procedure.
Inpatient surgical patients
Where the expected length of stay is overnight, or the procedure will require the patient to stay in an inpatient environment, patients will be required to take a lateral flow test within 72 hours before their admission to hospital.
The patient will be required to acquire their own lateral flow test from the government website and upload their results to the government portal, using the link above.
Patients will also need to bring evidence of the result of their lateral flow test on the day of admission. This can be in the form of an email or text message from gov.uk.
If the test result is positive, a clinical review will need to take place and the team should risk assess on a decision to proceed or cancel the procedure.
Where expected day case patients become inpatients, a PCR test must be carried out prior to them being admitted to an inpatient ward, in line with the usual Trust screening protocol.
Once an inpatient, standard inpatient COVID-19 testing strategy should be followed.
Inpatients requiring critical care or patients deemed to be high-risk
Where patients require a stay in critical care following their elective procedure, or patients who are deemed high risk by a clinician, PCR testing should be carried out in advance of their procedure.
The patient will need to have a PCR test within 72 hours of admission, and results should be available before their procedure.
These changes will align process with regional and national organisations, improve our elective care throughput and simplify the process of care for our patients, whilst keeping safety for all involved as a top priority.
The updated policy is now available on the COVID-19 microsite: