ALL services other than face-to-face child psychology appointments have now resumed at Basingstoke hospital, according to the trust which runs it, however its website suggests otherwise.

The Gazette asked Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for a list of all services which are yet to resume and why, after various procedures and operations were cancelled in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The trust said all services apart from child psychology are now going ahead, including elective surgery.

However, information on the trust’s website suggests this may not be the case.

Numerous services are still listed as ‘cancelled’ including face-to-face outpatient appointments; self-referral breast screening appointments for women aged 71 and over; urgent or routine endoscopies; antenatal classes and tours of the maternity unit; and some face-to-face breastfeeding support.

We are also aware of other treatments which are not yet back up and running.

Referring to endoscopies, the website states: “For the safety of patients and staff, all urgent and routine endoscopy activity is cancelled, and the team are only undertaking emergency procedures.”

In March, procedures and operations were cancelled at Basingstoke hospital as staff prepared to deal with the pressures of Covid-19.

All face-to-face outpatient appointments were held over the telephone, while numerous appointments, procedures, tests, and operations were cancelled.

Urgent and emergency cases along with cancer treatments continued as normal.

A statement from the trust on the current situation said: “The majority of our services have now resumed, including elective surgery, taking into account new infection control measures to keep our patients and staff safe.

“Covid-19 continues to change the way we work and whilst we are having to see fewer patients face-to-face in order to maintain national social distancing guidelines, virtual and telephone appointments continue to run.”

When asked to specify which services have not yet resumed, the trust responded: “Child psychology face-to-face appointments have not yet restarted, our clinicians are developing a new way to safely conduct these assessments.”

We asked why the website had different information and were told: “We are constantly updating our website but with the volume of information involved due to Covid and restoring formerly suspended services there is sometimes a short delay.”

However, when the Gazette contacted some of these departments, we were told that routine endoscopies, antenatal classes, and tours of the maternity unit were still not going ahead. We were unable to contact the breast screening department or breastfeeding support. 

Are you waiting for treatment, a test or procedure at Basingstoke hospital which has not yet resumed? Get in touch by emailing emily.roberts@basingstokegazette.co.uk.