Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates & Management

East Cheshire Hospice care for people with life-limiting illnesses so it is important in the current and everchanging Coronavirus situation that we take all reasonable steps to protect the wellbeing of those using our services, our staff and volunteers.

With government guidance changing……..page updated 09.04.2021

We are doing all we can at East Cheshire Hospice to protect our patients and staff from the spread of COVID–19 Coronavirus.

The safety of our patients and their families is our top priority.

The virus is still spreading in Cheshire East, therefore it is very important that you follow the new guidance:

• Stay at home, wash your hands regularly and if you must go out, keep more than 2 metres distance between you and others not from your household.
• Follow the isolation guidelines and stay at home and isolate for 14 days if you have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and/or if you have been contacted by the track and trace system.

If you are feeling unwell for any reason:

• Contact 119 who will advise you on the best way for the NHS to support you
• If you have a continuous new cough, a temperature of 37.8 degrees centigrade or higher or a loss of taste/smell, then please self-isolate even if you have had no contact with a confirmed case.

East Cheshire Hospice @Home Service and Inpatient Ward remain open to new referrals and staff are working hard to maintain our high standards of care in very challenging circumstances.  We are nursing all patients with the recommended Personal Protective Equipment and maintaining social distancing regulations within the unit and where possible in patient’s own homes.

As of the week commencing 29.3.2021 all face to face outpatient appointments have resumed but at a reduced service remaining in line with the National Guidance review.  The Sunflower Centre is now increasing the availability of spaces for day patients as of the 12^th April 2021. Support can still be accessed via Telehealth Communications.

Our Adult and Child family support services are still open, again supported by telehealth or video consultations.

A small number of volunteers have been returning in a safe manner to support us. Non-clinical staff have been set up with equipment to enable them to work from home, and some are returning to the Hospice building.

For more information about our operational response, please click here.

Visiting the Hospice Guidance

From 12th April 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, East Cheshire Hospice continues to follow the government guidelines to ensure that the hospice is safe.

For the patients who are admitted for Symptom Management/Assessment:-

• Visiting days will now be 7 days a week, Monday-Sunday.
• The patient will be allocated a ‘one hour’ visit slot, with one visitor between the hours of 11am and 4pm.
• Time slots for visiting will need to be booked by contacting the clinical co-ordinator or a clinical member of staff on the inpatient unit.

On arrival you will be asked COVID-19 screening questions, followed by you undertaking a Lateral Flow Test which will be carefully monitored by a clinical team member during which time you will be free to proceed with your visit, ensuring that PPE is worn.

• Staff will give you guidance on how it will be the visitors responsibility to register the result of your lateral flow test on the government website.
• If your lateral flow test is confirmed positive your visiting time may be limited and you will be required to complete a further a PCR test (which we will supply, you with). On leaving the hospice you will have to self-isolate in accordance with government guidance until your result reported.
• We would ask that you always adhere to hand washing guidance and wear your supplied PPE during the visit, and where possible, maintain the 2-metre distance. DO NOT remove PPE whilst at the bed side.
• Once shown to the patient bedside/room please do not leave and move around the hospice. If you need a member of staff, please press the buzzer and someone will come to you.

For patients who are nearing the end of their life we are allowing two named visitors at any time to stay with their loved one. Any variation will be at the discretion of the nurse in charge or ward manager.

The personal information we collect from you, will be held by East Cheshire Hospice for a period of 21 days, following which it will be destroyed in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Please note that whilst we are doing our very best to maintain a COVID safe environment here at the hospice, we cannot guarantee 100% safety whilst allowing visitors into the building and that you need to consider the potential risk you are taking yourself.

In addition to help support us to keep your relative, our patients and staff safe we ask that you follow this guidance:

• You stay at home unless you consider the visit to be essential as our patients are extremely vulnerable. Any exposure and contracting of the virus within our patients and staff groups will mean that our unit will have to temporarily close.
• Please ensure that you limit the number of social and work contacts you have on a day-to-day basis, as per the government guidance during national lockdown. The more contacts a visitor has externally, the higher the risk of transmission of the virus to your loved one, our patients and staff.
• That you DO NOT VISIT THE HOSPICE if you are feeling unwell, particularly with a high temperature, a new continuous cough or new loss of sense of smell/taste – stay at home and seek guidance from Public Health England.
• If you have been in contact with a symptomatic or positive case, or have been alerted by track and trace, please remain in isolation, and DO NOT VISIT THE HOSPICE until you have had a discussion with the clinical team.

While the hospice remains open 24 hours a day, unplanned visiting will not be permitted.

We do appreciate how difficult this is for all members of families therefore at other times when visiting cannot be facilitated, will always do our very best to help with supporting video and telephone calls to your loved one.  This will need to be discussed with the hospice team to ensure that time can be set aside to support this.

Please be aware due to current circumstances visiting regulations may be subject to change at very short notice.

Thank you for your understanding during this time.

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