ISCAS has developed, with the Patients Association, information for people to help signpost them to guidance that can inform conversations about the reintroduction of private healthcare and cosmetic services. This is a very fast-moving position and information is being updated regularly.
The COVID-19 recovery strategy means that people should be returning to work where they cannot work from home. However, the Government’s updated guidance on staying alert to control the virus and save lives states that people should stay home except for a limited number of reasons, such as seeking medical assistance. The social distancing guidance will remain in place while the ‘test, track and trace’ processes ramp up.
There are geographical differences across the country and in some areas, the NHS is still under considerable pressures, particularly with patients in hospital who suffered severe symptoms taking a long time to rehabilitate. This means that there is on-going variability with private access to intensive care services and in the availability of medicines and equipment. The aim of the guidance is to help mitigate the risk of complaints escalating about private healthcare or cosmetic service provision, or the potential lack of provision, as the case may be. The information is in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) format and can be found here.