The UHCW Heart Failure team working across Coventry and Rugby acknowledge that you may be concerned about Covid-19 if you have a confirmed diagnosis of Heart Failure.
We continue to work for our Heart Failure Patients to ensure that you all receive safe and effective care despite the challenging circumstances.
Heart Failure Patients have been advised to shield or practice social distancing by the government.
The British Heart Foundation have summarised information about “what it means for you”.
Please follow this link for more information. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health
If you have an upcoming clinic appointment with your Cardiologist or Heart Failure Nurse, you should assume that you DO NOT need to attend in person.
You will receive notification that this will now be conducted virtually over the telephone. In exceptional circumstances, if a after a telephone review, it is felt that you definitely need to be seen in person, you may be asked to attend the City of Coventry Health Centre for a face to face clinic.
If hospital treatment is necessary and you need admission on our cardiology ward it is useful for you to know that our ward has temporarily moved from ward10 to ward 42.
Ward 42 is fully operational to provide the safest cardiology care possible, and we will aim to discharge you as soon as possible with follow up care in the community setting.
You may be asked to have a blood test, this can be arranged at your home depending on your risk, or attending your usual blood taking department.
We would advise pre-booking your blood test to avoid waiting longer in these locations. We understand patients are anxious about attending for blood tests, but for some patients the risk of harm from not having blood test monitoring is higher than the likelihood of contracting the virus.
We will only ask you to have a blood test if it is absolute necessary.
It is especially important for you at this time to take your prescribed medications regularly and not run out of supply of these lifesaving drugs.
You may have read articles in the press or social media that some Heart Failure and high blood pressure medications such as Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACEi or medicines ending in ‘pril’) and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB or medicines ending in ‘sartan’) could worsen Covid-19.
There is currently no evidence to support this speculation. We therefore advise you to continue these medications, as they are essential for the treatment of your Heart Failure or high blood pressure. This advice is supported by and in keeping with the advice from the following learned societies:
Joint British Cardiovascular Society and British Society for Heart Failure: https://www.britishcardiovascularsociety.org/news/ACEi-or-ARB-and-COVID-19
European Society of Cardiology Council on Hypertension: https://www.escardio.org/Councils/Council-on-Hypertension-(CHT)/News/position-statement-of-the-esc-council-on-hypertension-on-ace-inhibitors-and-ang
During the Covid-19 outbreak we would advise you to be vigilant in checking your Heart Failure Symptoms daily. Please refer to your Red, Amber and Green symptom guide given to you when you first met your Heart Failure Nurse.
This includes the following:
If you notice any deteriorating symptoms of Heart Failure it is important to report this to your Heart Failure Nurse, or GP, or out of hours phone 111. Early action may help to keep you out of hospital.
Pumping Marvellous has produced this symptom guide for more information. https://pumpingmarvellous.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Self-Management-Tool-for-HF-and-COVID-19.pdf
Coventry Community Heart Failure Nurses – 0300 3032444
Rugby Heart Failure Nurses – 01788 663944
UHCW Acute Heart Failure Nurses – 02476 965814
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
If you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, e.g. fever, loss of taste or continuous new cough, please DO NOT attend for a blood test.
Earlier this year, the Government revised the guidance on Shielding for CEV patients. All those who have been identified as CEV have been advised to follow the same guidance as everyone else, whilst potentially thinking about extra precautions you could take to reduce your chance of catching COVID-19.
Taking into account this guidance, and the evidence that most patients have now resumed having their blood tests at their usual preferred location, UHCW will no longer be providing the Shielding phlebotomy service from Monday 13 December 2021. You will need to make arrangements to get your blood tests done, as you did prior to the pandemic at locations across Coventry and Warwickshire at www.uhcw.nhs.uk/bloodtests If your specialist has requested a blood test which is due to be taken prior to Monday 13th December, you can expect it to take place at a ‘Pop-up’ clinic, as before. Any blood tests required after this date will need to be a booked appointment.
You can keep up to date with the latest advice from the Government and from UHCW on the following website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.