28th May 2020: Update to patients regarding appointments at LivingCare.

Below is a list of questions that should provide you with the information you need regarding your appointment at this time. The advice that we are receiving is being updated and changed almost twice a day. We will update this advice as quickly as possible.

Is my appointment at LivingCare still going ahead?

This depends on which service you are attending for. We are working with the NHS and other providers across the region to ensure that we are seeing patients based on urgency and clinical risk.  

Outpatient Clinics such as ENT, Gastroenterology, Urology and Dermatology are all happening where possible through non-face to face methods.  This includes Telephone and Video consultations and where required a patient may be asked to attend clinic once the restrictions are lifted.  We are unable to undertake Ophthalmology through the non-face to face methods and we will add you to our waiting list to be seen as soon as possible. Some Outpatient Clinics will happen on a face to face basis. This will be down to clinical judgement to call our patients into clinic.

Diagnostic Appointments such as Endoscopy, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Colonoscopy and Cystoscopy are starting to happen.  We started seeing patients from the 25th May 2020. However for some procedures you will need to be swabbed in advance.

MRI and X-Ray is open as usual.

If you have a routine appointment our team will be contacting you and discussing your appointment.  They will also advise you of the next steps.

Do I need to be swabbed ?

LivingCare will contact you if you need to be swabbed prior to your appointment.  This will be in the main for Colonoscopy, Endoscopy and Flexible Sigmoidoscopy.  If you are coming to LivingCare or LTHT for Colonoscopy you will be given bowel preparation at this point.  

Our swabbing facility is ONLY for LivingCare and Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust appointments.  It is only by appointment only.

We have produced a video to help with the swabbing journey and to help with patients moving through our facility.

How will LivingCare contact me regarding my appointment?

LivingCare will contact you via SMS or by telephone call regarding your appointment. If you have not heard from us three days before your appointment contact us by the chat function on the website, by telephone or by email the.livingcaregroup@nhs.net

What if my appointment is not going ahead?

If your appointment is not going ahead you do not need to do anything.  We will keep your referral on our system and once COVID-19 has passed we will contact you and book you in. We will inform you and your GP that you will be on our waiting list and that we will invite you in as soon as the COVID-19 has passed.

What if I don't want a telephone or video consultation?

That is absolutely fine. Please let us know and we will keep your referral on our system and once COVID-19 has passed we will contact you and book you in.

We will inform you and your GP that you will be on our waiting list and that we will invite you in as soon as the COVID-19 has passed.

What if I do not want to attend due to my concerns over COVID-19?

This is absolutely fine.  If you send our team an email at the.livingcaregroup@nhs.net or send us a message through Facebook Messenger we will ensure that your appointment is cancelled.

We will keep you on our waiting list and will contact you as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic has passed and we return to providing routine care.

What precautions have you taken in light of COVID-19?

As a medical facility we have to take our responsibility of Infection Control extremely seriously. This is to protect our patients and our staff from any infections. We have continued our cleaning programme, and we have introduced more deep cleans throughout the premise.

Usually our teams move around our sites. Our nursing and medical teams will only stay at one location.  This is to prevent and cross infection or any potential of spreading the infection across the wider staff team.

We are also testing anyone coming into the building for their temperature. The body increases its temperature when it is fighting the COVID-19 virus. Anyone with a higher body temperature will not be allowed to enter the premise.

Any staff member who is showing any symptoms is self isolating for 14 days along with anyone who has been in recent contact or close proximity.

All our staff have personal protection equipment to enable safe operating and procedures to take place. We are sorry for this impersonal approach but we are sure you understand.

How can I contact LivingCare during this period?

You can contact LivingCare in the usual manner.  Our team are handling phone enquiries as they would do in the office, also you can send us a message via Facebook Messenger if you search for "LivingCare Group".  We are trying to make ourselves as accessible as possible to our patients and to provide advice.

Can you provide me advice on COVID-19?

No. We are not able to provide any advice. All advice is online at www.gov.uk/coronavirus or www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

What if I am ill during this period what do I need to do?

You need to call 111 on your phone and speak to the NHS 111 team.

If you have any illness or worsening conditions following an outpatient appointment or diagnostic procedure please contact the team. We will arrange for appropriate follow up care.  

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us on:

Facebook Messenger "LivingCare Group"

Email: the.livingcaregroup@nhs.net

Call us on: 0113 249 4655