Manx Care announces a range of measures as a result of increased Covid numbers within the community which is impacting its workforce and operational delivery. This includes the implementation of IIR fluid-resistant face mask wearing and social distancing across all of their health and social care settings.
All day procedures today (17 March) and tomorrow (18 March) have been cancelled with all patients affected having been contacted. All elective admissions planned for next week will be reviewed daily with patients contacted if affected.
These cancellations have been implemented to ensure staff are free to work in other areas including the Covid ward.
The cataract surgery waiting list initiative is unaffected at this time.
Ward 4 will close to inpatients but all Women’s Health outpatient appointments will continue.
Currently the visiting policy is unchanged except for visitors to the Covid ward which will only be possible in exceptional circumstances.
View Noble's Hospital visiting policy.
Social Care Services are also being adapted to deal with staff absences due to Covid.
Manx Care continues to ask all members of the public to voluntarily take a Lateral Flow Test (LFD) around 45 minutes to one hour before visiting one of its health and social care settings. LFDs will continue to be used as the Island moves to Endemic phase of ‘Living with Covid’ on 31 March 2022. LFDs will to be available to order online.
Manx Care has launched the Spring Booster vaccination campaign for those over 75 and those over 12 years old who are immunosuppressed.
The vaccination programme is continuing with the public reminded that the final walk-in clinics are next week at Chester Street Vaccination hub as follows:
- Monday 21 March between 11.30am and 6:30pm
- Tuesday 22 March between 7:30am and 2:30pm
- Wednesday 23 March between 10am and 2pm
- Thursday 24 March between 10am and 2pm
- Friday 25 March between 10am and 2pm
Post these last walk-in clinics an appointment will be required for any vaccine dose, whether a first, second or third primary dose or a first booster dose. It will not be possible to book a booster online nor walk-in for a vaccination after Friday 25 March.
Chief Executive, Teresa Cope said:
'We are asking the public to work with us as we implement measures to keep our services running while maintaining the safety of staff and patients. We are aware there have been long waits in Noble’s Hospital emergency department and apologise for this.
'We are grateful to our colleagues, across all our health and social care services, who continue to work in difficult circumstances in different areas to their normal place of work as we adapt and monitor the impact of Covid.'
