MANAGERS at the Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust have thanked the independent health sector for its “superb support” during the height of the pandemic.
During the last five months, teams from Berkshire’s three local independent hospitals – Spire Dunedin Hospital, Circle Reading Hospital and Berkshire Independent Hospital – have provided a range of help to the trust.
The majority of elective surgery at the trust’s Reading site was put on hold but vital life saving operations continued through the pandemic thanks to independent healthcare teams.
This included orthopaedics and gynaecology surgery at the Circle Reading Hospital, breast and general surgery at Spire Dunedin Hospital and orthopaedics and urology operations, urgent plastic surgery services and antenatal and postnatal clinics at the Berkshire Independent Hospital.
Now, the trust and independent hospitals are continuing to work together to provide surgery, diagnostic and outpatient services.
Nicky Lloyd, acting chief executive officer of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The pandemic has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone across the entire health system.
“The support we received from our colleagues in the independent sector has been second to none.
“By allocating space for some of our patients and support from their staff for our colleagues, we were able to focus our attention on dealing with the pandemic, reassured in the knowledge that our other patients were in very safe hands at Spire, Circle and Berkshire Independent.
“The speed at which we were all able to work together to safely lift and shift entire services to different locations has been truly outstanding and we’re very keen to continue our close working relationship with our partners in the local independent sector so we can provide local people with first-rate healthcare.”
Ms Lloyd said the trust has taken extensive measures to make hospital visits as safe and welcoming as possible.
Masks and face coverings are being worn by all staff, patients and visitors, strict social distancing measures are in place along with extensive infection control cleaning procedures.
