Latest News from Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust

Your NHS is here for you 

If you or a loved one – adult or child – have a health issue we are here for you. Please do seek help.

You can still contact your GP, 111 online or call 111 for help. If you are told to go to hospital, you must go. We’ll give you the care you need. www.nhs.uk

Our website has the up to date information  https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/

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Accessing urgent dental care Patients with an urgent or emergency dental condition must not attend any clinics. There is a system in place to triage them to help manage the flow to centres and avoid queues (in line with social- distancing measures). 

Registered patients: People who have a dental practice and use it regularly should contact their dentist by phone to seek a referral. All NHS dental surgeries should be accessible by phone or email, even though their doors are shut. 

Unregistered patients: People who don’t have a dentist should call the dental helpline in Devon on 03330 063300 or email accessdentalhelpline@nhs.net

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GP Practice Bank Holiday working arrangements

It has been confirmed that GP practices will be open on the bank holiday on Friday 8 May.  Patients should be able to continue to access the same service on the bank holiday as they would normally in-hours Monday-Friday

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 COVID-19 Testing Facility – eligible groups widened 

Following government guidance, more people can now be tested the COVID-19 mobile facility in Torquay. If you are a keyworker, over 65 or do a job that you cannot do from home and you or anyone in your household is displaying COVID symptoms (check at NHS COVID-19 symptom checker), you can now book a test via the government portal.  The facility is based at the coach station car park in Lymington Road, Torquay, TQ1 4BD, and you will have to provide photo ID.   Car park closure – polite reminder In order for testing to take place the coach station car park is closed to cars and pedestrians and we would ask people for their understanding while the temporary facility is in place.

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Vulnerable people can access direct line to NHS volunteers

Vulnerable people and their families can call on NHS Volunteer Responders, the NHS and Royal Voluntary Service have announced. The scheme is fully operational with healthcare practitioners, pharmacists and local authority and social care staff calling on volunteers to carry out tasks, including delivering medicines, shopping and other supplies as well as making calls to check in on those isolating at home.

The NHS and Royal Voluntary Service have taken steps to make the service more personalised for people who need support and increase referrals into the programme, including enabling self-referral for those most at risk and continuing to raise awareness of the programme in GP practices, pharmacies and with local authorities and social care providers.

The huge number of volunteers who have stepped forward means the NHS and Royal Voluntary Service can help not just the estimated 1.5 million people being ‘shielded’ from the virus, but also other people identified as vulnerable or receiving care in the community with local authorities also able to make referrals.

People who are considered to be at high risk and have been advised to shield can refer themselves to the service by calling 0808 196 3646

Offers of support

 We have been and continue to be overwhelmed by the level of support we have received. This means so much to us.We are aiming to ensure that all donation offers are properly co-ordinated so we ask that anybody wanting to donate goods and services should email tsdft.donations@nhs.net

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Nightingale Hospital in Exeter

he NHS Nightingale Exeter will now be built on the site of a former retail unit on the outskirts of the city. It had been planned the hospital would be based at Westpoint. However, having carefully considered the value which Westpoint brings to the community north of Exeter, and the disruption it could cause to its everyday operations, we have used the time available to us to consider alternatives.

The new hospital will be a regional facility providing care and treatment for patients from Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. The lower than expected COVID-19 transmission rates in the SW combined with updated modelling of care needs also shows that a smaller site would be a better use of resources, and enable the NHS in the South West to use the site for a longer period of time if needed.

The Army is helping with logistics for the build, working alongside contractors BAM Construct Ltd, who also built the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate and it is planned to be ready for late May.

What to do if you have COVID-19 symptoms

 Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms (a temperature above 37.8 degrees or a new, continuous cough) should use the NHS 111 online service to complete a coronavirus assessment, not call 111. GOV.UK WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Service A new GOV.UK WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Service has also been launched. The purpose of this product is to combat the spread of misinformation propagated through WhatsApp on an Official Government channel. To use the service, simply add +44 7860 064422 to your contacts and send a WhatsApp message saying “Hi”.

Sharing Good news – Patient thanks hospital staff for saving his life

 Thankfully the vast majority of people do recover from COVID-19 even though some are acutely unwell. A patient who survived the virus has thanked Torbay Hospital staff for saving his life and strongly urged others not to ignore potential symptoms. Maurice, 59, from Torquay, spent four weeks in hospital after being admitted as an emergency with coronavirus symptoms. He was later told by doctors he had two ‘life threatening incidents’ while under care. He praised staff for their ‘genuine care’ and described them as ‘living angels’. Read more about this inspiring story on our Facebook page here. 

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Jacqui Gratton Joint Head of CommunicationsTorbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust