Coronavirus advice for Wessex Cardiology patients
Coronavirus update September 2022.
Dear Patients and public
All our services are back to normal now. However, there is still some backlog of patients needing tests and consults.
At present wearing of masks is no longer mandatory when attending the Spire and there are no current restrictions. If you know you have COVID and/or are unwell with symptoms suspicious of COVID then you should let us know and we can re-schedule your appointments for when you have recovered. Please do not knowing attend the Spire with COVID. If in doubt please consult our office and/or the Spire.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP
All our services are back to normal now. However, there is still some backlog of patients needing tests and consults.
At present wearing of masks is no longer mandatory when attending the Spire and there are no current restrictions. If you know you have COVID and/or are unwell with symptoms suspicious of COVID then you should let us know and we can re-schedule your appointments for when you have recovered. Please do not knowing attend the Spire with COVID. If in doubt please consult our office and/or the Spire.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP
Coronavirus update October 2021.
Dear Patients and public
Most of our services are back to normal now. However, there is a large backlog of patients needing tests and consults.
Our office staff are all back to working normal hours and will be able to advise you as needed. Non-invasive tests for your heart such as echos and ECGs are back to normal but there is an inevitable waiting list. Private procedures are being undertaken for Cardiology at the Spire. We are looking to get some agency staff to do extra evening lists of Echos to help clear the waiting lists, as a result of COVID delays. We suggest you contact our office staff to discuss your needs.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP
Coronavirus update 13 January 2021.
Dear Patients and public
As of Monday 25 January until further notice Wessex Cardiology will not be able to offer regular private clinics at the Spire, until further notice.
The COVID situation is absolutely critical in the NHS and all our consultants must devote all their time to helping with this battle. We may possibly be able to offer some urgent telephone consultations, on an ad hoc basis out of hours in our own free time. However, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer any routine daytime clinics until this crisis resolves. If you are offered a telephone consultation it cannot be guaranteed to be at a specific time due to emergency work, we will do our best under the circumstances to call you as near to the allocated time as possible- please bear with us. Our office staff will continue to work normal hours and will be able to advise you as needed. It is likely that you will be able to continue to have tests for your heart such as echos and ECGs at the Spire, as diagnostic testing at the Spire is not directly effected by this wave. However no private procedures will be undertaken for Cardiology, if you need an urgent procedure for your heart this will have to be done in turn on the NHS. This is because the NHS is using Spire operating theatres to try and keep some urgent NHS work running. We suggest you contact our office staff to discuss your needs.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation at this difficult time.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP
Coronavirus update 27 March 2020.
Dear Patient
As the Administrative Partner I am writing on behalf of Wessex Cardiology to give you important information about the current impacts of Coronavirus on your healthcare.
Current regulations (in both the NHS and private sector) mean it is impossible to: see outpatients, do routine outpatient tests or any elective procedural work. We can, where possible, offer telephone consultations. for both new and follow up patients. Should you wish to book this please contact our secretaries in the usual way. If telephone consultations are booked please be aware we cannot easily guarantee set times given that urgent work is the priority. All our secretaries are now working off site. Spire activities are solely devoted to urgent NHS work, which is dictated by UHS trust. Wessex Cardiology is only doing urgent inpatient tests for NHS inpatients at the Spire hospital for the foreseeable future.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation at this difficult time.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP
Coronavirus update 12 March 2020. Letter to be sent to all patients:
Dear Patient
As the Administrative Partner I am writing on behalf of Wessex Cardiology to give you important information about the impacts of Coronavirus on your healthcare.
The impact of Coronavirus is placing very severe pressures on healthcare services across the world and is likely to substantially worsen in the UK. It may come to a point when all clinics and elective operations/investigations need to be cancelled. The main risk is with increasing age (age 60 and above) with the risk rapidly escalating with age. This risk is even higher in anyone with any other medical conditions, the more conditions you have and the older you are the greater your risk. The risk in this group is severe lung compromise needing admission to hospital with a substantial proportion needing intensive care and support on a ventilator. There is a limit to the number of ventilated beds physically available in the UK (like any country). If this is exceeded then difficult ethical decisions of who gets life support versus who does not need making, as has happened in Italy.
Whilst for most people the infection just means a bad bout of flu the main risk is passing it on to vulnerable groups. Avoiding unnecessary socialisation and in particular transport and public gatherings undoubtedly reduces the likelihood of the virus spreading, you getting it and reduces the pressure on healthcare. Amongst many recommendations on the government and public health websites meticulous hand washing (with soap and water for minimum 20 seconds) is one of the most effective measures. If you are in a position to stay at home/avoid unnecessary contact with people then it is much less likely you will get the virus.
We would recommend, in order to keep yourselves safe and reduce the risks to a minimum of propagating virus spread that:
If you have symptoms of a cold, fever, flu we would strongly recommend you don’t come for your appointment but reschedule it. Definitely do not come if you have been told to-self isolate and/or have proven corona-virus until you are deemed risk-free. Under the circumstances we will be understanding of any cancellations/reschedule requests, please just call to let us know.
- Anyone worried about their vulnerability should consider rescheduling their appointment once the risk has passed and the epidemic has ceased (predicted mid June onwards). Particularly for those coming for routine follow ups who are otherwise well.
- If you do come to clinic don’t offended if the staff don’t shake your hand.
- Please be aware we may need to cancel/reschedule appointments at short notice if staff are either sick or summoned to help with frontline care.
- As per government advice, if you are worried about symptoms of the virus then stay at home and call 111.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation at this difficult time.
With best wishes
Dr James Wilkinson PhD FRCP
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Administrative Partner
University Hospital Southampton and Wessex Cardiology LLP