Covid-19 response staff return

A TEAM of surgical staff who were transferred from Perth Royal Infirmary to Ninewells Hospital as part of NHS Tayside’s Covid-19 response have finally returned to their specialist roles.

During the pandemic, the team of 18 staff were transferred from their roles in ward 8 in the infirmary – the elective orthopaedic surgical ward – to the Dundee hospital to provide critical care for patients with Covid-19.

Now, in line with NHS Tayside’s plan to remobilise services, ward 8 staff have returned to their specialist roles at Perth Royal Infirmary and the clinical team is preparing to restart elective inpatient orthopaedic surgery on the hospital site next month.

Samantha Edmonds, senior nurse in surgery and orthopaedics at Perth Royal Infirmary, said: “Throughout the pandemic, the team welcomed the opportunity to be part of NHS Tayside’s wider Covid-19 response.

“The team is now busy making final plans and is looking forward to welcoming patients back to the ward who have been waiting for operations.”