A number of hospital appointments have been called off due to the bank holiday on Monday to mark the Queen’s funeral.
NHS hospitals in England have been urged to contact all patients with appointments on Monday, whether or not their appointment has been postponed.
Some hospitals have said they will be operating as usual, while others have said that they will postpone some non-urgent appointments.
Hospital trusts are expected to make their own decisions around appointments based on local staffing levels and whether or not local transport will mean patients and staff are unable to attend.
The nation will come together on Monday 19 September for the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
With the day being declared a national Bank Holiday, there maybe an impact on planned appointments at out hospital that day.
Read more on our website 👇https://t.co/gNRI2vuBEn pic.twitter.com/roYkuRLz6e
— RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital (@RJAH_NHS) September 12, 2022
Some patients have expressed concern about their appointments being postponed online.
A letter to all NHS organisations, sent from NHS England on Saturday, states: “For patients with planned appointments that may be affected by the day of the funeral, please ensure they are informed in advance of any changes by utilising direct patient communications.
Wait
“Where planned appointments are going ahead it will also be important to confirm this is the case.”
Some hospitals have urged patients to wait to be contacted with news about their appointment.
Following the announcement of the plans for the late Her Majesty The Queen’s state funeral on Monday 19 September 2022, some non-urgent planned care appointments/procedures across Bedfordshire Hospitals will be postponed.
Full details: https://t.co/eH1jAG9GK9 pic.twitter.com/CRNvlzgWOo
— Bedford Hospital (Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS FT) (@bedfordhospital) September 12, 2022
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Following the announcement of the plans for the late Her Majesty The Queen’s state funeral on Monday September 19 2022, some non-urgent planned care appointments/procedures across Bedfordshire Hospitals will be postponed.
“We will contact all relevant patients if their appointment or procedure is to be re-scheduled.
“However we must clarify that both hospitals (Bedford and the Luton and Dunstable) will remain open with urgent planned and unplanned/emergency care continuing as normal.”
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said that “some changes may be made to appointments” due to the bank holiday.
“If this affects your appointment, we’ll contact you as soon as possible to rearrange,” it added.
As Monday 19th September will be a national bank holiday due to the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, some changes may be made to appointments.
If this affects your appointment, we’ll contact you as soon as possible to rearrange.
Visit our website for more details. pic.twitter.com/S9yTWVrJ9J
— Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (@boltonnhsft) September 12, 2022
Queen Victoria Hospital in Sussex, which provides reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation service, said: “Our team is contacting patients with planned appointments or surgery on the day of the Queen’s state funeral (Monday September 19) to make new arrangements.
“Thank you in advance for helping us to make these changes at short notice. Please do not call us, our staff can best work through this if we call you.
“NHS emergency services, including the minor injuries unit at QVH, will continue to work as normal.”
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital also said it would contact patients whose appointments needed to be rearranged.
Our clinical services will be open as usual on Monday 19th September 2022. This includes outpatient clinics, tests & treatment. If you would prefer to cancel/postpone your appointment, please let us know ASAP by contacting us via the details in your appointment text or letter. pic.twitter.com/PLxM4bEYq3
— ClatterbridgeCC NHS (@CCCNHS) September 13, 2022
But the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, which operates cancer services in the Wirral, Aintree and Liverpool, said that services will be operating “as usual”.
“Our clinical services will be open as usual on Monday September 19 2022. This includes outpatient clinics, tests and treatment,” it said in a statement.
“If you would prefer to cancel/postpone your appointment, please let us know ASAP by contacting us via the details in your appointment text or letter.”
Meanwhile the public has been urged to check they have enough medication over the bank holiday.
Patients across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West are being reminded to order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time for the coming Bank Holiday weekend. https://t.co/SYpBVTbCkQ
— Oxford Health NHS FT (@OxfordHealthNHS) September 12, 2022
NHS officials in North East Essex and Suffolk said: “GP practices will be closed on bank holiday Monday September 19 for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
“If you have an appointment booked for that day you will be contacted to reschedule. If you use repeat prescription medicine please check you will have enough to last.”
Oxford Health NHS added: “Patients across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West are being reminded to order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time for the coming bank holiday weekend.”
A separate letter, sent by NHS England officials on Monday, told health leaders to ensure there was “sufficient” out-of-hours cover as GPs close on Monday.
It also asked for scheduled Covid booster care home visits to be carried out as planned, and “strongly” encouraged clinics due that day to stay open.
A spokesperson for the NHS in England said: “As with any bank holiday, NHS staff will work to ensure that urgent and emergency services, including urgent dental and GP appointments, are available — and patients will be contacted by their local trusts, if necessary, regarding their existing appointments.
“Covid vaccination services, particularly in care homes, are being asked to continue their work given the importance of protecting people ahead of winter and the public should access NHS services in the usual way, including through 111 online or 999 in an emergency.”
Reactions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Related: GB News presenter accused of ‘hypocrisy’ over tribute to Queen