Swansea Bay Health Board postpones some planned surgery due to COVID pressures

Swansea Bay University Health Board is postponing some planned care in response to Covid-19 pressures.

In a statement, Chris White, Chief Operating Officer for the health board said: “Increasing Covid-19 pressures mean that some planned surgery at Swansea Bay UHB has to be postponed to free up beds and resources for emergency care.

“Orthopaedic operations scheduled at Neath Port Talbot Hospital from Monday, 14th December will now be postponed. We are keeping the situation under continual review, and will re-schedule them as soon as we can in the New Year.

“We are contacting the patients affected directly and apologising for the distress and disappointment this will have caused them. As soon as we are in a position to re-start elective orthopaedic surgery we will contact them with fresh dates for their operations.

“This will not affect emergency trauma and orthopaedic surgery, which will continue at Morriston Hospital, and some of the most urgent patients who were due to be treated at Neath Port Talbot Hospital may now have their surgery at Morriston instead. However it is not possible to move all of the Neath Port Talbot operating list to Morriston.

“Day surgery at Neath Port Talbot Hospital will continue as beds are not needed for this group of patients.

“Postponing planned orthopaedic surgery at Neath Port Talbot Hospital will give us access to additional beds, which are much needed as numbers of Covid-19 infections are soaring locally and putting significant pressures on NHS services.

“We are also suspending all non-essential face to face outpatient appointments, and each speciality is currently working through which sessions will be postponed. Patients who are affected will be contacted directly. Otherwise, patients should continue to attend their appointment.

“We ask the public to do all they can to help us by taking action to keep the rates of transmission down. Please:

• avoid mixing with people you don’t live with;
• wash your hands or use an alcohol gel regularly;
• wear a face covering in indoor public places and
• keep a safe distance from others.”

(Lead image: Morriston Hospital – Swansea Bay NHS)