How are Southwark health services operating during the coronavirus outbreak?

Coronavirus is increasing the pressure on healthcare services, due to the numbers of people being tested and treated. Services may put more resources (such as beds and staff) into managing coronavirus, and reduce their service in other areas, while still providing care to people that need it most. This means that your care might be affected.

Please do not go directly to hospital or GP locations if you have symptoms of coronavirus. However, Emergency Departments (A&E) are open as usual for other urgent health concerns and emergencies. You need to wear a face covering if you are visiting a hospital. 

Do not visit or accompany a patient to hospital or any healthcare service if you have symptoms of coronavirus. Stay at home and self isolate. 

Use the online 111 coronavirus service if you have symptoms. Call 111 if you are unable to use this or need further help. Call 999 in an emergency.

All phonelines are busy so please check online before you call a hospital or GP.

King's College Hospital

This information is correct on 17 December, but please check here for the latest and follow the instructions of the hospital staff.

King's is operating some face-to-face outpatient clinics but virtual (online) or telephone consultations will continue to take place for the remaining services to avoid unnecessary visits to our hospitals. If you have an appointment coming up, you will be contacted with information on whether it is taking place at the hospital or virtually.

12-, 20- and 36-week pregnancy scans are continuing, and women will be told about any changes to other maternity appointments.

To reduce the number of people in the hospital, patients must come alone unless they are:

• Frail patients requiring the assistance of one other person
• Disabled patients or those with a learning disability who will be permitted one person to assist them
• Women in labour who are permitted one birth partner
• Women attending pregnancy scans who are permitted one companion or partner

Visiting is also restricted. Find out the most up-to-date information here before visiting. 

The Emergency Department (A&E) is open for emergencies.

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals (GSTT)

This information is correct on 17 December, but please check here for the latest and follow the instructions of the hospital staff.

GSTT are carrying out some appointments by telephone or online (video), as well as rearranging or cancelling some appointments. You can find out more about different departments' arrangements by following the link above. You should attend your appointment at Guy's or St Thomas' as planned unless you hear from the hospital to tell you otherwise. If you would like to cancel or rearrange your own appointment, you can find out how here.

The Emergency Department (A&E) at St Thomas' Hospital, including children's A&E, is currently open for emergencies. The urgent care centre at Guy’s Hospital is also open and can provide help with minor injuries and urgent medical problems.

No visitors are allowed for adult inpatients. There are exceptions for birthing women and in special circumstances, such as for patients at the Cancer Centre. There are also restrictions on visitors for child inpatients. Find out more here.

Evelina Children's Hospital

This information is correct on 17 December, but please check here for the latest and follow the instructions of the hospital staff. The link also contains information about specific services and conditions.

Urgent and emergency operations and procedures are continuing. A number of appointments are now being done virtually (by phone or video) rather than face-to-face. This should be on your appointment letter or text, or the team caring for your child will be in touch in advance to let you know about the arrangements that have been made for you.

If you and your child have been invited to come in for a face-to-face appointment, please attend. Evelina is taking extra steps to ensure patients and staff are safe. 

For appointments, only one parent or carer should accompany their child. For overnight stays, only one parent or carer may visit at a time. No other visitors (such as siblings) are allowed except in exceptional circumstances to be discussed with staff. Find out more here.

The children's Emergency Department (A&E) at St Thomas' Hospital is currently open for emergencies.

South London & Maudsley (SLaM) mental health trust services

This information is correct on 17 December, but please check here and here for the latest and follow the instructions of the hospital staff.

If you are already in contact with mental health services and feel in crisis, during office hours, contact your care coordinator or the duty number for the team that is supporting you.

South London & Maudsley (SLaM) is running a new Mental Health Emergency Department to support patients who need urgent mental health care during the coronavirus outbreak. To access this service, patients need to be referred by an acute A&E, police, ambulance service or 111, OR they can call the 24-hour line, 0800 731 2864, or the temporary Crisis Assessment Unit, 020 322 82821, for screening. This is not a walk-in service. The service is based at the Maudsley Hospital and at the Ladywell Unit (Lewisham) and serves both adults and children. For more information on what to do in a crisis click here.

If you have an appointment with South London & Maudsley (SLaM), they will probably make arrangements to contact you by phone or video call instead of in person. If you are unsure whether to attend your outpatient appointment, contact the relevant department.

There have been changes, such as temporary closures and mergers, to some inpatient wards and units. Click here for more information. This might mean inpatients are moved to different ward or hospital, discharged from hospital, or asked to stay in their room and away from communal areas.

Visiting is currently allowed. Please check here for more information or contact the relevant ward or department in advance.

Southwark GP services

This information is correct as of 17 December, but please check on your GP surgery's website or the SEL CCG News webpage.

GP surgeries are seeing patients so please contact your surgery if you feel you need to. It is also really important that parents of babies and young children get in touch with their practice to arrange for their routine immunisations and that women who are pregnant or new mothers contact their surgery if they are worried about their own or their baby or child's health.

Patients should contact their surgery online or by phone, and will most likely be offered a phone or video consultation with a doctor.

If you need to be examined or assessed in person and don't have Covid-19 symptoms, you may be asked to go to a different surgery and be seen by a different doctor or nurse from your usual one. 

If you need GP care outside opening hours or cannot contact the surgery, call 111. However, do not call 111 just because you have symptoms of coronavirus. Use the online 111 coronavirus service instead.

The CCG has temporarily opened Covid-19 community centres - at the moment there is one based at the Lister Practice. If you need a face to face appointment and have Covid-19 symptoms, you will either transport yourself (if you have a car) or they will arrange a taxi using a new temporary scheme provided by London black cabs. Find out more here.

If you want to know more about what it's like to go to the Southwark Covid-19 Community Clinic, there is a helpful video below:

Southwark Wellbeing Hub

The Southwark Wellbeing Hub has closed their drop-in, pop-up and Wellbeing Workshop services until further notice. Their helpline is still open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and the number is 0203 751 9684, email is southwarkhub@together-uk.org. Find out more on their website.