This week the Greater Manchester healthcare system has announced that hospitals across the region will start to resume non-urgent surgery and appointments.
At the beginning of January, the difficult decision was made to pause non-urgent surgery and appointments due to the impact of COVID-19 and associated staff sickness levels across the region. Although services remain busy, the situation has improved to the point where non-urgent surgery can now resume.
We appreciate how disappointing this will have been for those patients who have had their appointments or procedures postponed over the past few weeks, especially those who have already waited for some time.
Hospital teams, including the NCA and our Care Organisations, are working to reschedule patients as soon as we can based on clinical need.
The phased planned care recovery and degree to which planned surgery appointments are stepped back up will be different for each Trust, hospital site, as well as specialty.
Patients are being asked to bear with us and wait to hear directly from the hospital as we work through the waiting lists.
Anyone waiting for treatment can find advice and support on the Greater Manchester While You Wait website (whileyouwait.org.uk). Here you will find information and advice on how to manage your physical and mental wellbeing while you wait.
Any patients with health concerns are advised to continue to come forward for help and treatment in the usual way, using their local Emergency Department only for serious illnesses or injuries. NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and aren’t sure what to do by calling 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.