NHS Fife says non-urgent surgery and outpatient appointments will be cancelled in a bid to protect emergency and cancer care amid rising numbers of Covid cases.
The health board said it had taken the “vital steps” because the new omicron Covid-19 variant was likely to add additional pressure to already under strain services.
Non-urgent elective surgery will be cancelled alongside outpatient appointments. Visiting restrictions have also been put in place to reduce the risk to patients and staff.
To mitigate the impact of rising coronavirus cases, NHS Fife said it had decided to “move quickly” to safeguard urgent care and cancer services.
NHS Fife said that healthcare services remain under considerable and sustained pressure due to a significant rise in the number of patients requiring care for Covid-19 and other conditions.
“Despite these pressures, throughout 2021 NHS Fife has continued with much of its outpatient and non-urgent surgical programme to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment,” the health board said.
NHS Fife chief executive, Carol Potter, said: “Since being declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation in late November, we have been preparing our services for the likelihood of a significant rise in the numbers of patients requiring inpatient care due to the effects of Covid-19.
“With omicron circulating widely across the UK, and proving to be even more transmissible than previous variants, we need to act now and retract all non-essential activity to ensure our services are suitably prepared to respond to this new and evolving threat.
NHS Fife prepared for ‘worst case scenario’
“This will involve us pausing non-urgent surgery along with non-urgent outpatient appointments. Cancer, trauma and emergency care, including diagnostics, will continue as before.”
Ms Pottter said the decision had not been taken likely, adding that NHS Fife bosses understood the impact it would have on those who had been waiting a considerable time to be seen.
“Unfortunately, we are still very much learning about this new variant and until we have a fuller understanding of its likely impact, we need to prepare our healthcare for a worst-case scenario, and this means taking the necessary action to protect emergency care.”
Jab plea to protect NHS Fife
Fifers are being urged to help protect the NHS in the Kingdom by taking up the offer of vaccination.
NHS Fife medical director, Dr Christopher McKenna, is urging everyone eligible for a first, second or booster dose to book an appointment at a nearby clinic.
Dr McKenna said: “While there are many unknowns about the new omicron variant, there is clear evidence that getting fully vaccinated remains the best means of reducing your risk of serious illness from the effects of the virus.”
Dr McKenna said that young people should not assume they are not at risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus.
It comes after we reported how a young Fife dad had ended up in a coma after catching the virus while he was unvaccinated.
Many of those who have required care in our hospitals due to the effects of Covid could have very likely avoided this by taking up the offer of vaccination
Dr Christopher McKenna
Dr McKenna added: “Right here in Fife we have seen young people who are otherwise well requiring care in our ICU.
“Indeed, very many of those who have required care in our hospitals due to the effects of Covid could have very likely avoided this by taking up the offer of vaccination when it was first offered.
“In response to the spread of this new variant we have made literally tens of thousands of extra vaccination appointments available between now and early January and I would urge anyone who is eligible, whether they require a first, second or a booster dose, to take up that offer and book an appointment as soon as possible.”
