Patients and Visitors |
Information for patients attending hospital Changes to Patient Visiting and Appointments |
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COVID-19: Changes to services
Advice for attending hospital appointments – updated 06/01/2021
Please attend if you are called in
During this latest lockdown, where possible, we will arrange remote appointments so that you can speak to your clinician from the comfort of your own home and don’t have to travel to the hospital.
However, if you have been asked to come in for a face-to-face appointment, we need to see you, so please still attend. We are following strict infection control processes to keep you safe when you attend for an appointment.
Diagnostic appointments
If you do not wish to attend an imaging appointment because of COVID-19 concerns, we will cancel the investigation and inform the doctor who requested your test. They will need to make the referral again.
Waiting for appointments
We have reduced capacity for appointments due to caring for patients both with and without COVID-19. If you are waiting to hear about an appointment, please be patient. We are doing our best, but you may have to wait longer for your appointment.
Unfortunately, we’ve had to postpone some routine appointments and routine inpatient surgery in order to free up staff to help care for patients in the hospital with COVID-19 and other emergencies. However, we are continuing to see those patients who need to be seen urgently or as an emergency. Cancer related care is continuing as normal.
If you become more unwell, please seek medical help.
Thank you for your continued understanding and patience.
Here is a list of changes to our services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please use the contact details of each service if you have any questions.
Breast Services (Primrose Breast Unit)
Hepatology (South West Liver Unit)
Minor Injury Unit/Urgent Treatment Centre (MIU/UTC) - South Hams Hospital (Kingsbridge)
Planned Investigation Unit (PIU)
SHiP (Sexual Health in Plymouth)
Acute Assessment Unit (AAU)
From 11 May 2020, the Acute Assessment Unit has relocated from its original department on Level 6 Zone B to the Fracture Clinic, Level 6 Zone A. The unit is open from 0:800 - 20:00 Monday to Friday.
Contact details
01752 435614
Allergy Service
*Update - 2 July 2020: The allergy service has moved back to Derriford Hospital
Although day case admissions are reduced, the service will continue to provide a proportion of desensitisation admissions and patient receiving Omalizumab treatment at present. We are reviewing the service on a weekly basis. The service will temporarily discontinue the provision of challenges, and skin prick testing until the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
Routine telephone consultations will continue at present.
Contact details
01752 431672
Audiology and Newborn Hearing Screening
Audiology Services are open for telephone, video and some limited booked face-to-face appointments for children and adults. These services are now running at Derriford, the Child Development Centre, Mount Gould Local Care Centre, Liskeard Community Hospital and Launceston Community Hospital. Please read the Trust guidance on outpatient appointments, and take note of the details in your appointment phone call and letter.
The hearing aid repair service remains by post or drop-off only.
Newborn hearing screening is on the maternity unit, with clinics at the child development centre where necessary. The Health Visitors will be resuming carrying this out as part of their new birth assessment from 15th June.
Contact details
Newborn hearing screening: 01752 437480
Audiology appointments: 01752 431251 / 431253 / 431254
Audiology technical queries: 01752 430846
Breast Services (Primrose Breast Unit)
Updated on the 11 November 2020
The impact of Covid 19 currently means that we are running an outpatient symptomatic breast service which is in very high demand. As a result, we may not always be able to meet the recommended 2 week wait to be seen, with patients on average being seen at 3 weeks.
Clinics for patients following surgery, and other support services following a diagnosis, are however operating as normal including the mammography surveillance programmes for those within 5 years following surgery.
All referral requests are currently being triaged by a member of the team. Some of these referrals will be deemed suitable for a Video-Link or telephone call by one of our experienced clinicians who may address your needs without the requirement for you to attend the department.
It is with regret that we have to limit access to some reconstructive services, with some patients having completion of their reconstructions delayed. Other breast surgery is however proceeding although please be aware that there are slightly longer delays than normal.
Contact details
Reception for general queries regarding appointments 01752 432066
Breast Care Nurses for any medical queries 01752 431898
Breast screening
Updated on the 11 November 2020
Following the lockdown earlier in the year, we have recommenced breast screening in the 50-70 year old age group, but in line with National Policy, we are not able to offer screening to women aged 71 or above who self-refer.
We continue to provide screening in the Guildhall Centre and on our new screening van, although there is a considerable delay in our programme caused by the stoppage of service during the first wave, and the need to run a slower but Covid-Safe programme. Other screening services such as high risk screening and extra test clinics are currently operating as normal and in a timely manner.
In the interest of patient and staff safety we are requesting at this time that patients come alone to the department for all appointments except when receiving results, or when assistance is required.
Cancer Services
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Cardiology
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A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you or a loved one experience any serious cardiac symptoms, please do not delay in asking for help - call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you suspect a heart attack. The common symptoms of a heart attack can include:
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Inpatient procedures: We are recommencing urgent procedures for Cardiology in the cath labs. Patients are being booked in order of urgency.
Cardiology outpatients: we have temporarily suspended face-to-face consultations for both newly-referred patients and those under follow-up review, and are instead booking telephone consultations.
Contact details
Paul Smith, Cardiology Clinical Administration Manager – (01752) 432908
Chantelle Lea, Cardiology Cluster Administrator – (01752) 439234
Transoesophageal echocardiogram and Stress Echos
These services will resume from mid-July. You will be contacted about your appointments.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Elective cardiac/thoracic surgery was largely suspended during the escalation phase of the pandemic, because of the extra risk of surgery if you catch the virus around the time of your operation. Some surgery has now restarted and we are operating on those patients with the greatest clinical need. If you are on a waiting list for surgery, you should have been contacted to assess how you are and if necessary how to get further help. Outpatient appointments have either been via telephone or video calls with the surgeon, to avoid the risk of travelling and exposure to the virus. Pre-assessment is still face to face, as you will need to have blood tests and x-rays. Some face to face outpatients will resume in the near future. If you are admitted or transferred for surgery, you should have been isolated for 14 days prior to admission, you will be telephoned the day/48 hours before to ask about your symptoms and contacts, you will be tested on admission, and some patients may have a scan to look for signs of the virus.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Cardiac Surgery: 01752 439253
Thoracic Surgery: 01752 431855
Dentistry
A letter published on 28 May 2020, confirmed that all dental practices will commence opening from Monday 8 June for all face to face care, where the necessary infection prevention and control (IPC) and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements are in place.
Dentistry - Orthodontics
Dentists in practice are allowed to start working again if they have the correct PPE and can do so safely from 8th June. Due to the complexities of working within a hospital we are not in a situation where we can open as quickly as some dental practices. As we welcome patients back into the department it is important that we do this in a way that is safe for everyone. We are working hard to make arrangements and provide information for patients before we re-open our doors. Please check back here for further updates.
Any patients with an emergency should telephone us. A clinician will then phone them back to assess the situation and provide advice where appropriate. Please DO NOT come into the department unless you have an appointment as we will not be able to see you. Patients can use the link to the British Orthodontic Society website for helpful videos and factsheets.
Contact details
01752 432743
01752 432983
Dentistry - Restorative
The Chief Dental Officer of England allowed dentists to start working again with PPE from 8th June 2020 and has advised for us to continue working. We are now open again but are seeing time critical cases first. There is still a staggered and controlled approach to bringing patients back in for treatment. Due to the complexities of working within a Hospital we cannot behave in the same way as a dental practice. As we welcome patients back into the department it is important that we do this in a way that is safe for everyone. This is likely to cause delays and could increase treatment times.
If you have a dental emergency please see you own Dentist or call 111. If you are already mid treatment within the hospital and have an emergency please use numbers below and telephone triage will be arranged.
If you come into the Hospital without a pre-arranged appointment you will not be allowed into the department.
If you are waiting to see someone at the Hospital after a referral from you Dentist/Doctor please be reassured that if the referrals was accepted you will be brought in for assessment as soon as possible. If the period of wait has been longer than you expected please contact your referring Dentist/Doctor first to check your referral was sent and the date it was accepted.
Contact details
01752 432743
01752 432983
Please note this is not a UHP-provided service but is included here to help our local population. An urgent dental centre has been set up in Plymouth and another in Bodmin for those needing treatment. To get access, people should phone their own dentist to be assessed. Those without a dentist or who cannot get through to their usual surgery should call the helpline below. Patients will only be seen after a referral via the triage system. There is no drop-in access.
Devon - Call 03330 063300
Email accessdentalhelpline@nhs.net
Cornwall - Call 0333 405 0290
Email westcountrydental.care@nhs.net
Dermatology
All routine outpatient appointments and routine elective surgery has restarted. Outpatient appointments where possible will be non face to face. We are now open for emergencies Monday to Friday (08:30 to 16:00).
For patients taking medication who are due a prescription please call or email: plh-tr.dermatologyreception@nhs.net with the following information:
- Your full name and hospital number.
- The name of the medication you are taking.
- The dose of medication you are taking.
- Confirm the date of your recent blood test.
Contact details
Outpatient appointments:01752 439936
Elective admissions: 01752 437039
Dermatology Secretaries 01752 437026 or 01752 437109
Dermatology Reception 01752 439712
Advice and Guidance for vulnerable Dermatology patients is available on this link: http://www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx?itemtype=document&id=6648
For GPs: Please direct as many urgent referrals (as are suitable) through teledermatology. This is the advice and guidance part of e-rs. For this we need a detailed history as well as a photo. For urgent advice (acute patients), please contact Switchboard on 01752 202082 and ask for the on-call dermatology. The Specialist Registrar answers this.
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
At present, due to COVID-19, no routine patients are being seen in the department. However, the service will continue to see patients who are on a two week wait pathway, and emergency cases. After reviewing your referral a consultant will decide if you will have a telephone appointment, or if you need a face to face appointment, or if your appointment will be deferred.
Contact
- Outpatient appointments - 01752 439703
- Admin - 01752 439391 / 01752 439389
- Inpatient/Day Case Admissions - 01752 439889
- Emergency Ear’s Sister Sargent - 01752 430426 (unmanned – leave voice message)
The Emergency Department is here for you. If you have prolonged chest pain, breathlessness, symptoms of a stroke, abnormal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, or any significant injury please attend the Emergency Department at Derriford. If you have a life-theatening emergency, call 999.
(The video below is from the 17th September 2020)
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Stroke or Heart Attack:
Parents of young children:
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Endoscopy
Appointments for Endoscopy are taking placing as normal. We are working hard to ensure our patients and staff remain safe during this time. All patients are being tested for COVID-19 prior to their procedure, staff are equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) and we are maintaining social distancing where possible. We will contact you to book your procedure, please let us know if you are unable to attend.
Contact details
01752 438407
Fertility Services
Please see details of Fertility Services here
Fracture Clinic
Fracture Clinic has moved to Orthopaedic Outpatients in Car Park F. Where possible, we are changing all appointments to telephone calls. This may not always be appropriate but we will advise you.
Contact details
Fracture Clinic Appointments 01752 439808
Gastroenterology
We have changed all appointments to telephone contact, excluding very urgent IBD patients who will be seen face to face.
IBD Infusions are now delivered on the Derriford site again.
Contact details
Email gastro med secs inbox: plh-tr.Gastro-secretarial@nhs.net
Gynaecology
Resumed service for Gynae / Urogynae surgery, extended waiting times for surgery due to large number of patients currently on the waiting list.
Contact details
Queries relating to outpatient appointments please contact 01752 431598
For queries regarding elective admissions please contact 01752 431396
Healthcare of the elderly
Most follow up appointments will be offered by telephone, rather than face-to-face. All new appointments are being reviewed by a consultant and will be offered by telephone if appropriate but face to face will be offered if that is possible.
Contact details:
HCE Secretaries - 01752 43693
Hepatology (South West Liver Unit)
A letter with advice for liver patients can be found here.
Outpatient appointments are continuing to take place and these are being delivered in a variety of methods; this includes a face to face consultation, a telephone consultation or via a virtual platform.
Contact details
Email hepatology med secs inbox: plh-tr.HepatologySecretaries@nhs.net
*Update - 2 July 2020: The allergy service has moved back to Derriford Hospital
- Delivery of IVIg infusions
- Urgent face-to-face outpatient appointments
- Home therapy training
The service will continue to provide nurse home visits for technique review for those patients treating themselves at home.
In order to still provide treatment to the most vulnerable group of patients within the service, the nurse specialist will visit patients home to deliver IVIg/SCIg infusions. This is a change to our service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Routine telephone consultations will continue at present, which is reviewed on a weekly basis.
Contact details
01752 431672
Maternity
Maternity visiting update: (updated 18 December 2020)
From Saturday 19 December we are pleased to be able to welcome one support partner (wearing a mask unless medically exempt) to attend the following:
- 12 and 20 week scans
- Any appointment in antenatal care following a scan for which the support partner is already present
- When attending triage (this means a partner can be present during labour and birth from the point of attendance to the hospital or midwifery unit)
- For the commencement of induction of labour
- At all times on labour ward
- For a two hour time slot on the postnatal wards
This is in line with new guidance released on Monday to support pregnant women at all times during their maternity journey while keeping the risk of transmission of the virus within NHS maternity services (including to pregnant women, other service users and staff) as low as possible. The guidance acknowledges that there may be some challenges and that some trusts will need to make changes to the way we use our facilities to enable support people to accompany women to access their maternity care safely. Unfortunately testing partners is not an option yet due to the national unavailability of tests. However, we are reviewing each area of the service which will take time to fully roll out to pre-Covid status, particularly in the community and where waiting areas are smaller than required for the footfall. Please check our website and Maternity Services Facebook page for any further updates.
Paediatrics areas
To enable social distancing in our Neonatal Units and on our Paediatric Wards, only one parent or guardian will be able to attend at any given time. Again, it is essential we support families to stay safe, but also protect staff to ensure there is always a workforce available to provide the care local families should be able to expect from their local hospital when they attend for assessment because they are possibly in labour.
Maxillofacial Surgery
At present, all routine outpatient appointments and operations have been postponed. However, patients referred on a two week wait pathway, and cancer patients will be offered face-to-face appointments when necessary. Please note, if you are coming in for an urgent case, we will ask you some questions and take your temperature as part of our Covid-19 screening.
Urgent outpatient biopsies and oral surgery will continue, along with outpatient department reviews.
Contact details
If you have any questions about your appointment or condition, please call 01752 01752 432743 or 01752 432983
Urgent outpatient biopsies and oral surgery will continue, along with outpatient department reviews.
Minor Injury Units - Opening times
UCT - Cumberland Centre (Plymouth)
Damerel Close, Plymouth PL1 4JZ (Directions)
Tel: (01752) 434390
Opening times: 08:30 - 22:00 (09:00 - 22:00 Thursdays)
Opening days: 7 days per week
X-ray available: 09:00 - 20:45 (7 days)
University Hospitals Plymouth Minors Unit (Nuffield)
Derriford Rd, Plymouth PL6 8BG
Opening times: 08:00 – 20:00
Opening days: 7 days per week
MIU - Tavistock Hospital
Spring Hill, Tavistock PL19 8LD (Directions)
Tel: (01822) 612233
Opening times: 08:30 - 17:30
Opening days: 7 days a week
X-ray available: 09:00 - 17:00 (Mon-Fri)
Please note: there is no x-ray available during weekends and bank holidays.
MIU - South Hams Hospital (Kingsbridge)
Plymouth Road, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1AT (Directions)
Tel: (01548) 852349
Opening times: 09:00 - 17:00
Opening days: 7 days a week
X-ray available: 09:00 - 17:00 (Mon-Fri)
Neurology
Most follow up appointments will be offered by telephone, rather than face-to-face. All new appointments are being reviewed by a consultant and will be offered by telephone if appropriate but face to face will be offered if that is possible.
Contact details:
Neurology Secretaries - 01752 437698
Neurosurgery
We are starting to see and operate on patients needing neurosurgery. Our consultants are using 'Attend Anywhere' for video consultations, where possible.
Please don't hesitate to contact the team if you have any questions.
Contact details
01752 431832 – Service Line Support
Oncology
All oncology services are now back in the main Derriford Hospital site, and the chemothearpy unit has moved from Lyd to Fal.
Lyd Chemotherapy Unit has changed name to Fal Chemotherapy Unit.
Contact:
You will be contacted about changes to your appointments, but if you need any advice or more information please don’t hesitate to contact us.
- Oncology Outpatient appointments - 01752 430428
- Lyd Ward 01752 430290
- Brent Ward 01752 432593
Orthodontics
Dentists in practice were allowed to start working again from 8th June. Due to the complexities of working within a hospital it has taken a little longer to get up and running again. We are now welcoming patients into the department and are trying to get everyone back on track with their brace treatment. We are working in a different way to keep everyone safe. You will be sent an information sheet with your appointment letter giving you details about coming to see us. Please read this information and note that it may have changed since your last visit.
Any patients with an emergency should telephone us. Please DO NOT come into the department unless you have an appointment as we will not be able to see you. Patients can use the link to the British Orthodontic Society website for helpful videos and factsheets.
Please check back here for further updates.
Contact details
01752 432743
01752 432983
Orthopaedics
From 3 August 2020, University Hospitals Plymouth will be working with Nuffield Plymouth Hospital to recommence elective orthopaedic operating. Patients will be clinically assessed for suitability against a set of criteria that is designed to ensure patient safety. Patients with more complex clinical needs will still need to receive their operation at Derriford. This is because the operating team may need access to other resources at Derriford, such as enhanced recovery, which are not available at the Nuffield. We have continued to operate on those people who have undergone orthopaedic trauma as emergencies.
Where possible, we are continuing to use telephone consultations for patients instead of face to face appointments. If a face to face appointment is deemed more appropriate, we may postpone your appointment to a more suitable safer time.
Contact details
Please contact your Consultant’s Secretary for further details.
Outpatients appoitments and service changes
Where possible, remote appointments are being offered using video or telephone. If you have a video consultation appointment, you can read more about the system here. We are asking patients to attend face-to-face services only when it is really necessary. If we do ask you to attend for a face-to-face outpatient appointment, it is because the healthcare professional treating you feels it is important to see you in person.
- Please only attend an outpatient appointment if you have no symptoms of COVID-19. If you are worried you may have symptoms, please call NHS 111 for advice. You can find out more about coronavirus at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ ?
- The main symptoms of COVID-19 or coronavirus are:
- high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
- Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.
- Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub
- Maintain at least 2m distance between yourself and others outside of your household.
- Please attend alone if you can, to help us reduce the number of people coming into the hospital. If you have a carer or need someone to come with you, please call the number on your appointment letter to discuss this
- Please try to arrive as close to your appointment time as you can
Pain Management
Updated 23 November 2020
During COVID-19, the service will continue to see patients until told otherwise. On reviewing your referral and if accepted, a Consultant or Allied Health Professional will decide whether your appointment will be face to face, video or, in very rare cases, telephone. We are trying to do as many as appointment in a non-face to face way to protect you and the clinicians so please do try to engage with this wherever this possible. Having said that we made need to see you face to face to ensure we are delivering the best care that we can to you. These appointments will be held at Rowans House, a COVID secure building slightly way from the Main Hospital. We are running a limited amount of procedure lists. We are unable to provide face to face Pain Management Program or Body Reprogramming groups at this time, but we are holding these via Zoom and have received lots of positive feedback in regards to these. We are working on a face to face group.
Contact details
Pain Contact Number – 01752 437706/7
OAC Contact Number – 01752 439936
Paediatrics - Acute
All safeguarding clinics have moved to the Child Development Centre, from 30 March 2020.
Contact details
Rachel Deakin 01752 431397
Anita Dykes 01752 439887
Sam Rafferty 01752 439433
Paediatrics - Community (Child Development Centre and Children’s Community Nursing)
The majority of our appointments will now be taking place by phone - we are contacting young people and families to inform them of this. If there is a clear need for us to see a young person face-to-face then we can arrange an appointment at the Child Development Centre. In this circumstance, we would ask that only the young person and one adult attend.
Our Children's Community Nursing Team remain in contact by phone with young people who have complex care needs and their families in order to offer advice and support. If required, they are making essential home visits. The Community Nursing team will talk to you about how they can complete any home visits as safely as possible.
We are able to offer alternative arrangements where a prescription is required, reducing the need for families to make multiple journeys. We will discuss this with parents & carers if we need to provide a prescription.
Contact details
Young people and families can continue to contact us by phone, either using direct numbers or via reception on 01742 439400.
However, all new or non-urgent queries can be directed to plh-tr.CDCPlymouth@nhs.net and we will respond as soon as possible.
Phlebotomy Community Clinics
Updated 04 January 2021
Community Phlebotomy clinics have been moved to Future Inn hotel but remain scheduled as normal. Read more here
Contact details
Future Inn Hub (Reception) 07824 124797
Planned Investigation Unit (PIU)
Chief Operating Officer Kevin Baber opened our Planned Investigation Unit in its new home on Level 5 of Derriford Hospital on Wednesday 10 June. The opening included a little surprise for Sister Angie Newton. Watch the video below to find out what the surprise was.
Some interesting facts about the new Planned Investigation Unit:
- Staff there will see and treat around 70 patients per week
- There are 8 beds in the unit
- The team care for patients from most specialties across the hospital
- The unit will be instrumental in helping see patients who have had to wait while planned appointments have been on hold during COVID-19
- The nurse-led outpatient clinics have received some great feedback from patients who really appreciate the care provided
Contact details
01752 439984
01752 439982
Plastic Surgery
Plastic Trauma Services, along with the dressing clinic, has been relocated to Lyd ward as from Monday 15 June 2020.
Patients will continue to receive telephone consultations by the plastic surgeon unless they feel a face-to-face appointment is required.
All routine outpatient appointments and routine elective surgery have been restarted. (Excluding peripheral clinics in Truro.).
All local anaesthetic surgery may be relocated to Tavistock Hospital.
Contact details
Outpatient appointments: 01752 439936
Elective admissions: 01752 432215 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday or 01752 431519 )
Plastic Trauma Appointments: 01752 432105
Tavistock Appointments: 01752 436105
Critical Care Psychology
Most people from Critical Care Psychology have been discharged, but we have written to patients individually to say that this does not mean they cannot access a service. We will be offering telephone drop in appointments – initially on Monday and Friday morning.
We have been running a monthly expert by experience group and this will be held online and offered to all our previous and new out-patients. In addition we were facilitating a monthly Intensive Care Multi-Disciplinary Follow Up clinic. We have written to all the people currently on the waiting list to advise that we have taken the decision to put the clinic on hold and will be in contact when the situation alters. They have all also been offered the option of the telephone drop in clinic. We will continue to send out screening questions to people discharged from ICU who will also be offered the option of telephone drop in appointments and going on the waiting list for the follow up clinic when it resumes.
Contact details
REI (Royal Eye Infirmary)
Some routine outpatient appointments and routine elective surgery has restarted. Outpatient appointments, where possible will be non face-to-face, however, you will be asked to attend your appointment face to face if deemed clinically appropriate. Please follow guidance provided on attending your appointment / surgery.
New opening hours:
Open 8-6 Monday-Friday.
Open 8.30-13.00 Saturday.
Closed Sunday. Please ring Derriford Hospital 01752 202082 and switchboard will take your number and they will get the triage nurse to ring you.
Renal and Transplantation
Many renal and transplantation clinics are being moved to telephone clinics. However due to the nature of renal conditions and the need for patients to have regular blood tests, consultants are reviewing their clinic lists on a weekly basis to decide if a patient needs to be seen face-to-face or offered a telephone appointment.
If a patient is required to have bloods taken before their telephone consultation they will be informed about this by phone and will receive blood forms in the post to get these done at either their GP surgery (if practice willing) or the phlebotomy department at Derriford Hospital.
The appointments team will inform patients of their clinic appointment date and time. This is subject to change and processes are being reviewed daily.
Contact details
Patients to continue ringing their consultants secretary:
Dr Connor, Dr Herbert, Dr Tse, Dr Kiani and Dr Rowe – 01752 431308
Dr Cramp, Dr Houlberg, Dr Saif – 01752 439753
Transplant patients – 01752 439957
Rheumatology
Rheumatology is providing face to face consultations for all new appointments and some follow up appointments where clinically appropriate. All other follow-up appointments will continue to be provided by telephone or video consultation.
Urgent injections are continuing for those patients in need of them. Likewise, infusions which are deemed clinically necessary by the specialist nurses and consultants, are continuing.
Rheumatology is currently providing same day/next day urgent care and advice for new and existing patients presenting to acute services.
Contact details
Nurse advice line – 01752 439688 or email plh-tr.rheumatologypatientsadvice@nhs.net
(please only contact via one of these methods)
Scans and Diagnostics
If you have an appointment with us please do attend unless notified otherwise.
Cardiac CT
We are aware there is a considerable waiting time for this investigation; we are doing our best with restricted capacity. If you have concerns about your symptoms, please contact the doctor who referred you for the test.
Patients referred for imaging under the 2 week wait possible cancer pathway
We are running a normal service for 2WW requests.
Urgent scans
We are scanning all urgent cases in a timely fashion, for patients who are willing to attend. If you are referred urgently, please do attend your appointment. If you are at all concerned, please download our leaflet with advice for patients coming to hospital and clinics.
Routine imaging requests
We have very limited capacity for routine investigations, except ultrasound. Waiting times will be much longer than pre-COVID. If you have concerns about your symptoms, please contact the doctor who referred you for the investigation.
Routine Ultrasound
We are running a near normal service for most routine ultrasound.
MSK Joint Injections
We are re-starting this service for patients who are still symptomatic and have agreed to the test, understanding that it carries a risk of supressing their immune system.
CT Colonography
We are re-starting this service for patients who are still symptomatic and have agreed to the test, understanding that it carries a risk of supressing their immune system
SHiP (Sexual Health in Plymouth)
All pateint information updates available via the YourSHip website: www.yourship.uk
Contact details
Phone number: 01752 431124
Therapies
Please continue to follow the normal referral process to access our outpatient services, information can be found via the University Hospitals Plymouth Website:
All our Therapy Outpatient departments follow have strict Covid 19 infection control and social distancing measures in place for the safe management of patients during the Coronavirus Pandemic (Please see Trust Guidelines for full information). In order to reduce the number of patients within our departments during the pandemic Therapies continue to offer a mix of Face to Face, Telephone and Virtual Video appointments (via Attend Anywhere).
All initial routine patient appointments will be undertaken remotely through a Telephone consultation, a decision will then be made as to whether the patient can be discharged with advice, or needs to continue treatment. Where ongoing treatment (follow-up) is required the clinician will advise patients whether they need to be seen within the department (Face to face) or through Telephone or virtual video appointments (Attend Anywhere).
All urgent referrals are reviewed by clinical staff to decide whether a patient needs to attend their first appointment in person (face to face) or where appropriate for a Telephone or virtual video call (via Attend Anywhere).
Information provision following remote appointments: Bespoke exercises plans are emailed or posted out where required. Patients are signposted to For Physiotherapy Patients: YouTube exercise videos to provide detailed exercise information where appropriate.
Dietetic Outpatient and Community Services
- Most new urgent and routine dietetic outpatient, paediatric and community services continue to be delivered via non-face to face contact. During the appointments patients will undergo a Dietetic assessment, be provided with advice and a treatment plan (recommended supplements are prescribed and collected by patients through GP pharmacy, trial supplement can be posted).
- Where the Dietitians have reviewed a referral and feel that a face to face appointment is required patients will be invited to book a face to face appointment.
- Urgent community and paediatric patients are being assessed and treated face to face where urgent care provision is required i.e. Patients with blocked / infected Rig tubes.
Occupational Therapy Outpatient Services
- All new Burns and Plastic outpatients are deemed urgent and continue to be seen face to face for splinting and urgent assessment / treatment and advice.
- Most new Rheumatology outpatient’s services are being delivered remotely via telephone or video (Attend Anywhere) assessment / advice. Exercise plans are emailed or posted out where required.
Physiotherapy Outpatient Services
Paediatrics MSK Outpatients (based at Derriford Hospital).
- All new Paediatric referrals are urgent and patients will be seen face to face for their first appointment. The Physiotherapists will then recommend the way any follow-up appointments will be delivered: Face to face or remotely and patients will be re-booked accordingly.
- Talipes clinics continue to be delivered at Derriford Hospital within the CYPOD unit. Patients are seen face to face where clinically necessary or remotely where indicated. The Physiotherapists will then recommend the way any follow-up appointments will be delivered: Face to face or remotely and patients will be re-booked accordingly.
- Cystic Fibrosis outpatient clinics are currently held at the Child Development Centre (Scott Hospital).
For remote appointments exercise information will be emailed or posted out where required. Patients may also be signposted to YouTube exercise videos where indicated.
Adult MSK & Specialist outpatient Services:
The following services are provided across our existing sites at Derriford, The Cumberland centre, Ivybridge Health centre, Plympton Health Centre and Plymstock Clinic, Tavistock Hospital and Kingsbridge Hospital.
General MSK Outpatients:
- Urgent outpatients are triaged for suitability for non-face to face telephone or virtual (Attend anywhere) assessment and advice or seen face to face where clinically necessary.
- Burns and plastic’s, Women’s health Obstetric and some gynaecology patients are classed as urgent and follow the same triage and treatment / advise provision as for urgent MSK outpatients.
- Gym classes are not currently provided secondary to social distancing and staffing restrictions. Plans are in place to re-start classes in the New Year and will be delivered face to face or virtually where appropriate.
Outpatient services based at the Derriford Hospital Site only.
Respiratory Outpatient Services:
- Respiratory patients are classed as urgent and follow the same triage and treatment / advise provision as for urgent MSK outpatients.
Lumbar Spine Services:
- Patients are classed as urgent and follow the same triage and treatment / advise provision.
Neurosurgical follow-up service:
- All patients are reviewed through a Telephone Service Only.
Osteoarthritis Triage Service:
- All patients are reviewed through a Telephone Service Only.
Fracture clinic:
- Physiotherapists work within the Fracture Clinic service and see patients face to face where clinically indicated or where appropriate via remote appointments.
Hydrotherapy Services:
- Following the second national lockdown and increased numbers of Covid 19 patients this service is currently closed and is due to re-open in early January 2021; This will be subject to the governments Covid 19 tier rating for Plymouth or further National Lockdown instruction.
Speech and Language Therapy Outpatient Services:
- Voice Outpatient’s: New urgent and routine outpatients are being assessed and advised via telephone calls. The Speech and Language Therapist will then recommend the way any follow-up appointments will be delivered: Face to face or remotely and patients will be re-booked accordingly.
- Ear Nose and Throat: New urgent and routine outpatients are being assessed and advised via non-face to face telephone calls. Urgent patients who require valve change would be seen face to face where it is clinically indicated.
Information provision following remote appointments: Exercises plans are emailed or posted out where required.
Thoracic Medicine
The Thoracic Medicine Chest clinic is largely switching to telephone clinics with the introduction of ‘attend anywhere’ clinics for some of our clinicians. Patients may be asked to attend for a face to face appointment and this will be because the consultants think it is important that patients are seen in person or need to have tests. We will continue to contact patients to inform them of the type of appointment they will have and ensure they are happy with this.
The number of clinics we offer continues to be reduced but is increasing with the use of telephone and ‘attend anywhere’ clinics.
We are continuing running clinics for TB, Cancer and asthma biologics.
We are doing lung function tests for essential cases determined by your consultant.
Contact details
COVID queries number - 01752 437917 (please note this number is an answerphone service and messages will be picked up periodically)
Email address – plh-tr.respiratoryguidance@nhs.net
Urology
Most follow up appointments will be offered by telephone, rather than face-to-face unless necessary. All new appointments are being reviewed by a consultant and will be offered by telephone if appropriate but face to face will be offered if that is deemed necessary.
Contact details
Continence service at Chestnut unit 01752 439726