Peterborough community health services begin to re-open after COVID pause

While the majority of services have continued to operate, the Trust has also developed new ones - including extra support for those in mental health crisis and people affected by strokes – to support patients during the pandemic.

While some services are operating differently, which includes the use of online appointments, patients continue to be urged to seek help at the earliest opportunity.

Other changes introduced since March mean patients at the Trust’s inpatient mental health or community care hospitals are swabbed for coronavirus on admission and staff continue to wear full personal protective equipment when seeing patients face-to-face.

Chief Executive Tracy Dowling said: “Most of our services have continued during this time and we are delighted to now be able to start reopening some of those that had to temporarily pause. This needs to be done in a phased way to ensure we continue to protect our staff and patients and respond to the ongoing demands of the pandemic.

“Coronavirus certainly hasn’t gone away and many of our staff continue to be redeployed to ensure we can treat and provide care for those who need our help most.

“This means that there may be delays to people being seen when their needs are less urgent, but I want to assure all patients that we are doing what we can to ensure people are seen as quickly as possible.

“Services are running differently, and some of them moving online is a big change, but patients have been very understanding and have adapted really well. Some have fed back that they prefer this way of communicating and find it more convenient.

“This has been a difficult time for our staff too and I am very proud of how they have risen to the challenge.

“I would continue to urge anyone who needs the help of our services to get in touch. We are still here for them and are doing what we can to ensure they are supported during this time.”

Where there are service changes, patients are reviewed on an individual basis and will be contacted directly by clinical teams.