The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Cancellations as NHS Fife battles Covid
NHS Fife says non-urgent surgery and outpatient appointments will be cancelled to help protect emergency and cancer care amid rising numbers of Covid cases.
The health board said it had taken the “vital steps” because the new Omicron Covid-19 variant was likely to add additional pressure to already under-strain services.
Visitor restrictions have also been put in place to reduce the risk to patients and staff.
To mitigate the impact of rising coronavirus cases, NHS Fife said it had opted to “move quickly” to safeguard urgent care and cancer services.
It stressed that its services generally remain under considerable and sustained pressure due to a significant rise in numbers of patients requiring care for Covid and other conditions.
“Despite these pressures, throughout 2021 NHS Fife has continued with much of its outpatient and nonurgent surgical programme to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment,” the health board said.
NHS Fife chief executive, Carol Potter, said: “Since being declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation in late November, we have been preparing our services for the likelihood of a significant rise in the numbers of patients requiring inpatient care due to the effects of Covid-19.
“With Omicron circulating widely across the UK, and proving to be even more transmissible than previous variants, we need to act now and retract all non-essential activity to ensure our services are suitably prepared to respond to this new and evolving threat.
“This will involve us pausing non-urgent surgery along with nonurgent outpatient appointments. Cancer, trauma and emergency care, including diagnostics, will continue as before.”
Ms Potter said the decision had not been taken likely, adding that NHS Fife bosses understood the impact it would have on those who had been waiting a considerable time to be seen.
Fifers are being urged to help protect the NHS in the Kingdom by taking up the offer of vaccination.
NHS Fife medical director, Dr Christopher Mckenna, is encouraging everyone eligible for a first, second or booster dose to book an appointment at a nearby clinic.
Dr Mckenna said: “While there are many unknowns about the new Omicron variant, there is clear evidence that getting fully vaccinated remains the best means of reducing your risk of serious illness from the effects of the virus.”
He added that young people should not assume they are not at risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus.
“Right here in Fife we have seen young people who are otherwise well requiring care in our ICU,” he said.