Health cancels non-urgent operations and appointments

Friday 20 March 2020

Jersey's Health Department has cancelled all non-urgent outpatient operations and appointments over the next four weeks.

Only procedures and check-ups deemed 'urgent' by the clinical teams will go ahead, the department announced this afternoon.

"Whilst this is regrettable, this decision has been taken to promote social distancing which will help us to manage the spread of COVID infection. This will also allow clinical staff time to prepare for the impact on hospital beds moving forward," a statement explained.

All affected patients will be contacted via telephone.

Where possible, patients will be able to have telephone consultations.

The hospital pharmacy remains open, however.

Pictured: The hospital pharmacy currently remains open.

It comes after the General Hospital was closed to visitors due to two patients with covid-19 receiving treatment.

All wards are now closed to visitors, with the exception of the Maternity, SCBU and paediatric units, which have a limit of one visitor per person.

Samares Ward at Overdale is also closed to visitors, as are the elderly residential wards of Oak, Maple and Sandybrook and the Assessment wards which are Beech, Cedar and Orchard House.

The number of islanders officially confirmed as having covid-19 currently stands at 12, as of 14:30 this afternoon.