You may have heard that our children's ward at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary is currently closed. This is because a member of our team became ill. Following a positive coronavirus test result and in line with government guidance, 38 members of staff from the department are now self-isolating at home.
No patients or visitors were put in any danger as a result of this - all colleagues wore appropriate Personal Protective Equipment when they were close to patients or visitors.
As a result, the paediatric inpatient service at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary will temporarily be transferred to Furness General Hospital.
It is important to note that this is not an outbreak and there is no risk to patients.
We will continue to work with staff, patients and their families to ensure patients continue to get the best care possible and will keep the situation under review. We envisage that this will be a temporary measure until the 23rd of June when we will review the situation with an intention to reopen the inpatient paediatric service on the RLI site.
The Emergency Department at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary remains open. Children will be seen there and treated appropriately. If they require admission, they will be taken to Furness General Hospital.
The safety of patients and staff is our utmost priority and we are following national Public Health England guidance regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing, and correct hand hygiene. We are encouraging all of our staff to be extra vigilant with infection control practices and have produced clear guidance on working safely during COVID-19.