Update on mask wearing and appointment with Rheumy

[Sheila_G]

Firstly I want to thank all of you who replied to my recent post. I had so many, it was amazing. Thank you all so much. After more research I discovered that there didn't seem to be any mask wearing in the hospitals and medical centres generally near where we live, not even in the cancer care clinics which I find unbelievable. I cancelled my appointment which was for 4th July next, which incidentally is our wedding anniversary. I asked for a telephone appointment instead and they said I could have one for the same time but I declined so we could go out in the country somewhere for a nice picnic lunch. The next appointment is 31st October. That is fine as I am ok and if I need to speak to someone before then I can do. A great refief came over me and my stress levels dropped immediately so good news. The bad news is that my husband has got 2 hospital appointments now one for a procedure that takes an hour on the same day!! and one with a Consultant 3 days later. Stress back again. What is the difference between me going and him going. Hey ho!! C'est la vie. Thanks for reading. xx

[Karen12]

Hi Sheila,

The NHS stopped mandatory mask wearing approximately 3 weeks ago unless you have respiratory symptoms or are attending A&E, haemato oncology, renal and respiratory clinics or wards with known positive patients.

I work with people with a hearing loss so a lot do not want us to wear masks (clear ones are useless). As a department we have decided it is personal choice for the staff member however we should ask the patient if they want us to wear one. One person so far has requested I did. No harm in asking them to wear one in an appointment hopefully most would oblige. Unfortunately that doesn’t help with the waiting area etc.

[Sheila_G in reply to Karen12]

Thanks for your reply

[MadBunny in reply to Karen12]

I didn't know that. Thanks.

[julie1908]

I had a rheumatology appointment today and although mask wearing isn’t compulsory at my hospital i would say about 80% were wearing mask in that department and they also had signs on every other chair saying not to use. X

[Sheila_G in reply to julie1908]

That's good. I suppose a lot of patients will be wearing masks but it is the medics who will be with me closely that worry me.

[Lolabridge]

Hi Sheila

There is absolutely no reason why you or your husband cannot wear a mask in a healthcare setting to protect yourself. Just because it is no longer the hospital/surgery policy to require staff or patients to wear one, it is perfectly justifiable for you to wear one and also to ask your healthcare professional if they would kindly wear one to protect you. You may also find that the hospital policy changes in the near future with Covid infection rates and hospital admissions rising!

However do make sure your masks are top quality though and of at least FFP2 or FFP3 standard; these types protect the wearer as well as those around them. I buy mine online from UKMeds who can offer speedy delivery if necessary. ukmeds.co.uk/ppe

Other suppliers are available of course.

I'm glad you feel you can wait for your next appointment and that your stress levels have reduced and I hope you have a most enjoyable wedding anniversary.

[Sheila_G in reply to Lolabridge]

Thank you so much for your lovely reply and best wishes.

[nanny_bee71]

I had a face to face with rheumatologist last week - masks no longer mandatory and left to the discretion of the patients but most of the staff were still wearing them (Cornwall where numbers are rising) I also do voluntary work in a charity shop again masks not mandatory but a lot of customers are still wearing them. So I guess it is very much up to the individual.

[Sheila_G in reply to nanny_bee71]

Ver6 definitely. Thanks

[HappykindaGal]

Our hospital has stopped compulsory masks. My friend had a liver biopsy yesterday and very few people wearing in masks now she said. She was ok with this.

[Sheila_G in reply to HappykindaGal]

If your friend was ok with it that's ok for her but I'm not. I will have to 'man' up. Thanks

[HappykindaGal in reply to Sheila_G]

The last three weeks, I’ve given a talk at an exhibition with 1000 delegates and a cruise with 3000 other people. I am high risk, but decided I just had to get on and live. And I’m home and absolutely fine and had a brilliant time too. I am all for protection etc…, but I think sometimes we need to take a leap of faith as life is too short and over in a flash. We don’t know what might be around the corner. As my friend can testify 😊🌸

[Sheila_G in reply to HappykindaGal]

Thanks

[Gilliancheche]

That is a shame. I had a dermatologist appointment last week, they share the waiting area with blood testing. There was a sign asking people to wear a mask. Anyone who arrived without one was given one. All wore them. I was so relieved.

[Sheila_G in reply to Gilliancheche]

I bet you were. It is so hit and miss. Thanks

[Ascidian]

My neighbour is currently in hospital and hubby and I have been to visit him a couple of times. The first time, masks were not compulsory, but on Monday they had just reintroduced mask-wearing for visitors and staff. Similarly, I received a text from my GP surgery advising me that masks are now required at the surgery. I imagine most health trusts will be following suit very soon...

[Sheila_G in reply to Ascidian]

I think you are right. I hope so. Numbers are increasing very rapidly near us now.

[Paula-C]

I replied to you post saying a few weeks ago at my hospital it's only certain areas that require people to wear masks, rheumatology being one. However, my friend had an appointment yesterday at the hospital and people we wearing masks, she asked a lady who served her when she bought a cup of coffee and was told that there's been a surge of covid cases and hospital admissions in the area.

[Sheila_G in reply to Paula-C]

That is the same here. We had a Nightingale hospital built in the car park of our local hospital for overflow patients. Yesterday the hospital itself said they had a big increase in hospital patients with covid in the last week and announced at the same time that they are no longer keeping the Nightingale going. I don't understand that.

[weathervane]

Sitting in rheumatology Clinic, everyone masked up . Noticed a poster that they offer video consultations, could this also be an option for you ? I hope all goes well for you , PS I got great FFP2 masks on amazon, arrived the next day xx

[Sheila_G in reply to weathervane]

Thank you. That is interesting and very useful.

[Leics]

I went to rheumatology and then X-ray department last week. All the docs and staff were wearing masks in rheumatology and also in X-ray department too. Lots of patients and visitors were wearing them as well and I noticed that at the entrance to the buildings there were hand sanitizer and also a machine which dispenses masks so the hospital I visited still had precautions in place. Having said that I was allowed to take my husband into the consultation room with me which was a relief because I needed him for support. Hopefully this will continue but if it’s not the case where you live do what you can for yourself keep your distance sanitise your hands and wear a mask I’m sure you’ll be ok, we all know the drill which had kept us safe so far and hopefully when we do get caught the new meds and antivirals will help 🤞. If you need to see someone f2f then do so. I’m severely immune suppressed and I’ve managed to dodge it so far and have had to have a few f2f appointments and so far I’ve been fine.

[Sheila_G in reply to Leics]

Thanks

[cathie]

Where are you? I'm sorry to hear this. I agree with Karen about asking for mask wearing, I'm due to a face to face with the rheumatologist in Edinburgh and will observe what precautions are being observed there. GPs here are still mask wearing and hand sanitisers around. All staff and patients in the Community Health Centre here are still wearing masks. Maybe Scottish NHS have different rules.

[Sheila_G in reply to cathie]

Preston. Scotland has always been better than England with covid protection. We went to Skye last september and I felt really safe because everyone was wearing masks.

[Sheila_G in reply to Sheila_G]

.....that's Preston, Lancashire.

[cathie in reply to Sheila_G]

Just back from Chiropody everyone wearing masks. In edinburgh

[Sheila_G in reply to cathie]

Good old Scotland.

[nomoreheels in reply to Sheila_G]

I attended Lytham hospital last week nobody at reception or in the foyer was wearing a mask & only one other patient in the waiting room was. When I entered the treatment room I was told I could remove my mask unless I preferred to leave it on so said I preferred to leave it on. There was no hoo-ha, she just accepted it was what I wanted to do. So I think you just do as you wish & continue if it makes you feel that bit safer.

I hope you have a nice wedding anniversary. Hopefully your husband's appointment will be no longer than an hour & you'll be able to celebrate the remainder of the day together.

[Sheila_G in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you so much. I thought about you yesterday when I went to collect my Honeywell order.

[nomoreheels in reply to Sheila_G]

Funnily enough we went to Barton Grange on Tuesday, we needed a new shrub to replace a tatty Rose of Sharon, but didn’t have time to drop in at Honeywell’s in the end. No doubt will soon though, stocks are getting low!

[Mmrr in reply to cathie]

My GPs and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh staff are all still wearing masks. (And at the private consultation I had last week too).

[cathie in reply to Mmrr]

That's my experience in Edinburgh too.

[Sheila_G in reply to Mmrr]

Brilliant.

[Garnacha]

When I went for my rheumatology appointment 2 weeks ago hardly anyone was wearing a mask but I went for blood tests at my surgery yesterday & everyone was being asked to wear a mask, apparently cases are on the rise & drs & staff having to take time off work, also had a dentist checkup & the same there, I live in wales

[Sheila_G in reply to Garnacha]

Numbers are rapidly rising near us.

[MadBunny]

I was at my go surgery today. All staff wearing masks, patients were asked to wear masks and they were available for anyone who didn't have one.

[Sheila_G in reply to MadBunny]

That's good to know. It is very much a postcode lottery but I think people will start to wear masks again soon.

[MadBunny in reply to Sheila_G]

I heard yesterday on the news that some in the medical profession are asking for it to be made compulsory again in indoor areas , due to the rise in cases. I already have 3 friends, and my friends brother who have tested positive in the last week.

[Sheila_G in reply to MadBunny]

I hope they do. It is charging on just now.

[oldtimer2]

I went to hospital yesterday for a spinal injection. Everyone was wearing masks, including me. I was asked to shower before I attended, to wash my hands for 20 seconds when I arrived, and had my temperature taken, exactly as last year's requests. But this is in Wales, where I think we have been more cautious that the English Government's gung ho approach. It is not compulsory, but many people including some of the check out assistants at my local supermarket are wearing masks. Guess which ones I go to!

[Sheila_G in reply to oldtimer2]

I agree about Wales, Scotland and Ireland being more cautious than England.

[springcross]

Hi Sheila. I attended a hospital appointment last Thursday. Some were wearing masks, some not - almost all patients were. As it seems to be on the increase again, I will continue to wear mine wherever I go.

[Sheila_G in reply to springcross]

Very wise.

[wishbone]

When I had a F2F with my rheumatologist a month or so back, while it was not compulsory to wear a mask entering the hospital, there were 2 nurses issuing masks at the entrance to the outpatient waiting room. Even though I already had a mask on I still had to replace it with a new one. I did say to the nurses that my FFP2 mask was more effective than the blue surgical type they were handing out but still had to change it . My rheumatologist was not wearing a mask, which I thought a bit odd.

[Sheila_G in reply to wishbone]

It doesn't make sense does it. When I had my first vaccine I had to change my mask for a blue one which was far too big so useless and had to hold it in place with my hand for 40 minutes. Odd the Rheumatologist wasn't wearing one. What was the point of being so meticulous in the first place. Crazy.

[wishbone in reply to Sheila_G]

Not really, I feel safer wearing my FFP2 than the surgical type they made me wear. I suppose they need to be careful as some people do wear masks well past their sell by date but they could see my mask was new if they cared to look. I hope my GP surgery is going to make mask wearing compulsory again with this big rise in the number of covid cases. I'm in Wales and if I heard it right on the news just now, then we are top of the table with the highest number of infected people per 100 or whatever figures they used. No big surprise there though!

[14penny]

Not sure why anyone worries about non wearing of masks most of us are injected now and I think we have to live with it so if you catch it it will only be like flu symptons and that will make your body more resiliant and maybe we can all get on with our lives ( no one worries about smallpox now do we. Just my view

[KittyJ in reply to 14penny]

Not necessarily 14penny. I was really unwell with covid. Yes 4 jabs kept me out of hospital but my breathing was quite bad. My GP kept an eye on me and I got anti virals but it was awful and I’ve gone back to masks in shops again because I don’t ever want to go through that again.

[Sheila_G in reply to KittyJ]

Good for you. It isn't safe to go indoors without a mask.