Maximise your service capacity by keeping patients informed

Undergoing treatment during COVID-19 can make some patients very anxious, posing a risk to your service if patients are not fully prepared. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have created a patient information leaflet on having surgery during COVID-19. It provides clear instructions outlining what patients must do:

• before their surgery
• when self-isolating for surgery (including details for their families, hints, and helpful links to services available to make it easier), and
• when they arrive at hospital.

Read through the leaflet to find out more.

The creation of up-to-date guidance and the use of all available social channels to promote the release of new resources ensures patients feel informed and confident about coming to hospital. This can reduce the risk of delays caused by uncertainty or miscommunication of processes, and can support a decrease in ‘did not attend’ (DNA) rates.

How others have kept patients informed:

NHS Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals have created a short video detailing what patients should expect when coming to hospital for planned surgery during COVID-19, whilst NHS Fife designed a dedicated website with the latest information about hospitals and Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership services.

Please share your local innovations by completing this form and emailing us at his.accessqi@nhs.scot