RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a respiratory physiology department and the patient’s perception of rapid service change
JF BMJ Leader
JO BMJ Leader
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 175
OP 179
DO 10.1136/leader-2021-000463
VO 6
IS 3
A1 Ian Cliff
A1 Naveed Mustfa
A1 Imran Hussain
A1 Emma Munro
A1 Hayley Bishop
A1 Helen Stone
YR 2022
UL http://bmjleader.bmj.com/content/6/3/175.abstract
AB Background Originating as a cluster of unexplained cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, a novel coronavirus disease, officially named as COVID-19 by WHO, has now reached a pandemic level. In the wake of this global health crisis, stringent public health measures were implemented to curtail the spread of COVID-19. At a local level, the University Hospitals of North Midlands National Health Service Trust suspended all elective and outpatient activity, primarily to address the current potential implications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Within respiratory physiology, all but urgent and emergency work was suspended.Methods In June 2020, the service commenced its restoration/recovery plan, which was based on national and international guidelines to ensure safe practice for patients and staff alike. The plan was a roadmap developed to upscale the respiratory physiology service to deliver urgent and routine care and to assist the service to undertake the essential task of managing the patient backlog as a consequence of the interruption of service. Patient concerns and anxieties due to the pandemic was a key aspect of the restoration/recovery plan. The service developed numerous initiatives along with a questionnaire to assess patient experience following attendance for investigations or assessment.Results The questionnaire confirmed that the initiatives put in place as part of the restoration/recovery plan achieve high levels of satisfaction in terms of communication, interaction within the service, professionalism and importantly patient safety.Conclusion COVID-19 had a significant impact on routine clinical care and out-patient activity. This brought about significant change in service delivery that required a strict regimen to ensure COVID-19 free status and minimise cross-contamination of service users. The systems and processes introduced demonstrated positive responses and confirmed the objective of patient safety, which translated to the service users.