Due to the success of the Covid vaccination program and the associated lockdown the local Covid cases have dramatically reduced and the local NHS hospitals are now looking to return to a more normal situation where elective patients can be treated. The private hospitals, who have been helping the NHS with urgent cases since Christmas, can now return to admitting private patients normally. Routine lists with a normal timetable are due to start in April, the first time this has occurred in over a year.

Obviously there is quite a large backlog of cases to be done in all hospitals. The Parkside Suite at Frimley will not be open for another couple of months so patients requiring the medical backup available at Frimley may have to wait a little longer for surgery

The outpatients and radiology departments are still open and there are strict measures being taken to minimise the risk of infection. All staff have weekly Covid tests and all staff and patients are screened at the entrance to the hospital.

If you are waiting for surgery you should be contacted by your consultant’s secretary with a new date for surgery. However, it will be several months before the backlog is dealt with.