Bucks hospital appointments planned as normal
NHS chief exec has important message for patients.
Buckinghamshire's hospitals are still open for appointments, despite the lockdown announcement.
That's the message from Neil Macdonald, Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust's Chief Exec.
Back in March, many appointments and treatments were cancelled as hospitals focused on critical care, especially coronavirus.
However, this time Neil says things are different:
"We've learnt much over the last eight months about how to safely run physical healthcare appointments in the world of the coronavirus.
"We have appropriate social distancing, we have appropriate PPE and we have appropriate infection control measures in place."
Neil said it was important to get the message out to patients that teams are still there for them, whatever happens in the coming weeks.
He added:
"So it is really safe for you to come and see us and if we have asked to see you, there is a reason for that.
"We are working really hard to keep as much running as normally as possible."
Many appointments have moved online or over the phone, of course, in a big shift for NHS services across the country.
If you need emergency or urgent care, call 111.