Surgical Pathways

This is the safest pathway, minimising your risk of being exposed to COVID-19, but requiring strict isolation for 14 days. You will be advised to go on this pathway if the risks of a COVID-19 infection after surgery would have very serious consequences. You will be managed in an area with Green Surgical Pathway patients, but with strict infection control precautions

• You should plan and store enough to allow you to isolate for 14 days
• You should obtain a supply of medication to last you the full 14 days without leaving your home
• You must avoid contact with anyone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus

For the full 14 days before your surgery:

If Shielding with a household:

• Do not leave your house. If members of your household cannot shield, you must shield within the household in separate rooms, including bedroom, living area, bathroom facilities and kitchen. Staying physically apart as much as possible.
• Do not attend any gatherings. This includes gatherings of friends and families in private spaces, for example, family homes, weddings and religious services.
• Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature; a new or continuous cough; loss of sense of taste or smell.
• Everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face, and clean frequently touched surfaces.

If Shielding on your own within a household:

• You should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. Make sure you use separate towels from the other people in your household, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes.
• If you share a toilet and bathroom with their household, it is important that you clean the facilities every time you use them (for example, wiping surfaces you have come into contact with). Another tip is to consider drawing up a rota for bathing, with you using the facilities first.
• If you share a kitchen with your household, avoid using it while other members are present. If you can, you should take your meals back to your room to eat. If you have one, use a dishwasher to clean and dry the household’s used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. If you are using your own utensils, remember you need to use a separate tea towel for drying these.
• Everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face, and clean frequently touched surfaces.

Seven days before your surgery, you will receive a welfare call to check you are managing to follow the pathway. You can switch to a Green or Amber pathway at this point if you need to.

Three days before your surgery, you will be invited to our second stage preparation clinic – this will take place in the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby, in a clinic that will not break your isolation.

You must continue to self-isolate or isolate as a family after this appointment, until you are admitted to hospital

Your surgery will take place in a “Green Pathway” – where exposure to COVID-19 will be kept to an absolute minimum.

This is the pathway we expect all other routine elective surgery to take place on. It allows for less restriction during the time before your surgery, but at a slightly increased risk of exposure to COVID-19. The regulations on this pathway will change depending on how many COVID-19 cases are found in the community.

• You should plan and store enough to allow you to isolate for 14 days
• You should obtain a supply of medication to last you the full 14 days without leaving your home
• You must avoid contact with anyone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus

In the 14 days before surgery:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Work from home if you can
• Limit contact with other people
• Keep a safe distance if you go out
• Wash your hands regularly
• Wear a face covering on public transport
• Shop safely
• Exercise safely
• Travel safely
• Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms
• You must follow comprehensive social-distancing and hand-hygiene measures at all times – see the government guidance on social distancing

Seven days before your surgery, you will receive a welfare call to check you are managing to follow the pathway. You can switch to an Amber pathway at this point if you need to.

Three days before your surgery, you will be invited to our second stage preparation clinic – this will take place in either the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby, or in University Hospital, Coventry.

You must self-isolate or isolate as a family after this appointment, until you are admitted to hospital. Please read and follow all the rules set out on the Ultra-Green Surgical Pathway after your appointment.

Your surgery will take place in a “Green Pathway” – where exposure to COVID-19 will be kept to an absolute minimum.

This pathway is for patients who either cannot follow the Ultra-Green or Green Pathways, or for patient who have been booked for surgery at short notice (less than 2 weeks).

There are no particular rules to be on this pathway, but you are strongly advised to follow the government guidance on social distancing.

You will not receive a welfare call.

Three days before your surgery, you will be invited to our second stage preparation clinic – this will take place in University Hospital, Coventry.

You must self-isolate or isolate as a family after this appointment, until you are admitted to hospital. Please read and follow all the rules set out on the Ultra-Green Surgical Pathway after your appointment.

Your surgery will take place in an “Amber Pathway” – where we aim to minimise exposure to COVID-19 but there is a small risk of mixing with patients who have not been screened for the virus.