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We have made some temporary changes to services in order to support people with possible or confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19). Learn more below.

If you are having a virtual appointment with one of our health professionals using Attend Anywhere, visit our video consultations page.

Changes to mask-wearing guidance

In line with the latest national guidance, mask-wearing in our healthcare settings will now be a personal choice for service users, carers and visitors. 

Masks will be available at our buildings for anyone who would like one. Where individuals have known health conditions and have previously been identified as being at risk, we will support them to consider wearing a mask.

Other measures

We are continuing with measures to prevent the spread of infection including hand-sanitising, ventilation and the wiping down of surfaces.  

If you are coming to an appointment, you may still be contacted beforehand and asked about your health. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment.

If you are visiting a loved one in one of our inpatient (hospital) units, please check with the unit before visiting in case of last-minute changes to visiting times due to COVID.

We are working hard to restore all our services to pre-pandemic levels. However, you may notice changes to some of our community-based services. These may have an impact on the level or type of care that you or your loved one receive.

These might include:

  • Reduction in face-to-face contact and increased use of telephone or video for consultations and support - learn more about our video consultations
  • Reduction in frequency of sessions with your practitioner, therapist or consultant
  • Changes in staffing which may mean you are contacted by a clinician who is not known to you.

We recognise what a stressful time this is and we wish to support everybody receiving a service from us in the best way that we can.

If you have concerns about your care, please contact our Patient Experience team.

Here are some sources of support at this time:

If you have COVID symptoms 

In every case, if you or anyone in your household has any symptoms of COVID-19, please stay at home; do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital but follow the advice that can be found on www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
The main symptoms are:

  • A high temperature (you feel hot to touch on your chest or back)
  • A new, continuous cough (this means that you have started coughing repeatedly)
  • A loss of or change to taste or smell.

Derbyshire’s hospitals, GP practices and pharmacies are now vaccinating patients and staff against COVID-19. 

You can book your appointment now using the National Booking System or by calling 119. There are also walk-in clinics across Derbyshire.

There is more information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme on the Joined Up Care Derbyshire (JUCD) website or on the NHS website. 

To book your vaccination appointment, you will need your NHS Number. Look at this link to find your NHS Number.  You should also be able to find your NHS Number on any letter or document you have received from the NHS, including prescriptions, test results and hospital referral or appointment letters. If you cannot find your NHS Number in these ways, you can ask your GP practice to help you. They should be able to provide the number for you as long as you are registered with them. To protect your privacy, you may be asked to show a passport, driving licence or some other proof of identity.

If you are not registered with a GP, this link will provide you with details. The registration process requires a form to be filled in (not on line) and then handed to the relevant GP practice. The GP practice should be able to assist with filling in the form if needs be. You can register with a GP practice to get an NHS number. If you do not already have an NHS number, you'll be assigned one during registration. You'll get a registration letter in the post and your NHS number will be shown in the letter.

The NHS uses two apps to support people during the pandemic:

NHS COVID-19 app

The NHS COVID-19 app is a quick and easy way to get the latest advice and find out if you may have been exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Learn more about the COVID-19 app on the gov.uk website.

NHS App

This app allows you to set up and log in to your NHS account. It also allows you to check and demonstrate your COVID vaccination status.

Learn more about the NHS App on the national NHS website.

You will know by now that due to the current COVID-19 virus we are all having to make changes to how we carry out our daily lives.  Part of the changes that Derbyshire Healthcare needs to make includes altering the level of care we provide as a service.  


These temporary changes might mean that you are seen less frequently, offered telephone appointments rather than face-to-face appointments, or you might be contacted by people who are not your regular workers.  
 

If you have an existing appointment with one of our teams, we will contact you if we need to make any changes.

If you are due to meet with any of our staff – either in one of our buildings or at your own home – and you have symptoms that could be COVID-19 please contact the team on the number that is outlined on your appointment letter.

Do not attend your appointment if you have symptoms of Coronavirus.  We will discuss an alternative way of providing support to you.

If you feel your needs change or your symptoms worsen please contact your usual team to let us know (within usual office hours).

The main COVID-19 symptoms are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a change to or loss of sense of taste or smell.

There are also other COVID symptoms listed on the NHS website.

If you have one or more of the three main symptoms, please let your care team know before you attend an appointment. They will discuss your symptoms with you and decide on what to do next. They may suggest that your appointment is rearranged.

A BSL video on 'Spotting the signs' is available to watch. 

The following brochure is available to all our service users and carers in the community, and gives information on what changes they can expect to take place during this time. 

We also have a brochure for people using our inpatient (hospital) services:

BSL Coronavirus videos

Have your contact details changed recently? If so, please let us know by telling your care co-ordinator or a member of the team who supports you.

Help us keep your NHS records up-to-date by telling us if you:

  • have changed address or telephone number
  • have changed GP
  • want letters sending to another address.

We’d also like to know if your family or carer’s contact details have changed.

Please let us have your mobile phone number and email address so we can contact you about your care, send appointment reminders and seek feedback about your experience of our services.

This information is also helpful for arranging appointments, including video consultations.

For confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters, call 01332 623751 or freephone 0800 027 2128 or
email dhcft.patientexperience@nhs.net


Alternatively, to provide feedback and share your experience about our care, please register your compliments/complaints online.


Find out more about the Patient Experience team.
 

Please visit the following websites for further information about Coronavirus:

Adult Services

Children and young people's services

Learning disabilities

Learn about our services for people with a learning disability

Make an appointment

Information for members of the public and health professionals on requesting treatment and support

Keeping well

Learn about different ways to stay healthy and well

Your medication

Your care

Join us
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