Patients undergoing day surgery at Rugby’s Hospital of St Cross are now being treated on a Green Pathway to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Green Pathway – the term given to COVID-free areas of the hospital – went live on 13 July, and is part of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust’s plans to restore services that were paused so it could respond to the pandemic.

The pathways, including a surgical one on University Hospital site, Coventry, ensure patients have been assessed as having no current risk of COVID.  Staff have been following rigorous infection control guidelines and safe discharge procedures.

Patients booked for surgery will be asked to self-isolate in their homes for 14 days prior to admission. They will also have been screened for COVID-19, and have a welfare check before admission to ensure surgery can go ahead.

From 13 July, only patients attending the Green Surgical Pathway – either on the day of appointment or for preoperative assessment - should use the Day Surgery entrance at Hospital of St Cross on Barby Road. All other patients are asked to use alternate entrances to the hospital and will not be able to enter the Day Surgery.

Hospital Volunteers will be on site to help patients get where they need to be, whilst new signage is being installed around the site to guide anyone attending through alternate entrances.

Patients are also being asked not to park in the Day Surgery car park unless they are accessing the following:

·        Diabetes centre

·        Children’s outpatients

·        Mobile CT scanner

·        Women and Children’s services in Owen Building.

In line with national guidance, visiting restrictions remain in place across the hospital sites.

Everyone coming onto our hospital sites is required to wear a face covering and adhere to good hand hygiene. If you don’t have a face covering, you will be given a mask on arrival.