Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
October 2022:
The Portland Hospital
Clinics and operations are running as normal. Face masks are no longer required to be worn in the Hospital.
Admissions to The Portland Hospital: Both parents are now allowed to attend the hospital with their child. The evening before admission, the patient and both parents are required to carry out a Lateral Flow Test and keep a note of the result to show the ward the next day. Obviously, if the result is positive please do not attend the hospital. The Pre-Assessment Nurses (020 7182 7709 or 020 7390 6228) are happy to provide more information as required.
Clinics & Operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Private Out-patient Clinics and Operations are continuing at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Please note that Face Masks are required to be worn when attending this hospital. However, both parents are allowed to attend with their child for the appointment and admission.
Please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 or email: secretary@benhartley.org if you have any queries or to book your appointment
Clinics and operations are running as normal. Mr Hartley’s clinics are on Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Coronavirus Update: 17 December 2021
The clinic timings are strictly regulated to allow for Covid measures to keep patient, parent & staff alike safe. In view of the rise in Omicron cases this month, The Portland Hospital policy of allowing only one parent in the clinic / hospital with the patient remains in effect. Face masks are required to be worn by anyone over the age of 12 while in the building.
Admissions to The Portland Hospital
Please note that the patient will require to have 1 (negative) COVID swabs pre-operatively 3 days before the admission (this to be done by the Hospital or a centre locally). The parent attending with the child must carry out a Lateral Flow Test the day before the admission or the morning of the admission and bring the (negative) results to the Hospital. Obviously, if the result is positive please do not attend the hospital. The PreAssessment Nurses (020 7182 7709 or 020 7390 6228) will be able to book the pre-operative swabs or advise if you can get this done more locally.
Clinics & Operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Private Out-patient Clinics and Operations are continuing at Great Ormond Street Hospital with appropriate Covid measures in place. Again, like The Portland Hospital, only one parent is allowed with the patient for out-patient appointments.
Please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 or email: secretary@benhartley.org if you have any queries or to book your appointment
The Portland Hospital Clinic & Operations: Updated 21 April 2021
Clinics and operations are running as normal. Mr Hartley’s clinics are on Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Fridays. Clinics are strictly regulated to allow for Covid measures to keep patient, parent & staff alike safe. A reminder that only one parent is allowed in the clinic / hospital with the patient.
Admissions to The Portland Hospital
Please note that the patient will require to have 2 (negative) COVID swabs pre-operatively: the first swab 7 days before the admission (this can be done at a local testing centre) and the second swab 3 days before the admission (this to be done by the Hospital). The PreAssessment Nurses (020 7182 7709 or 020 7390 6228) organise these.
Clinics & Operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Private Out-patient Clinics and Operations are now being carried out at Great Ormond Street Hospital with appropriate Covid measures in place.
Please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 or email: secretary@benhartley.org if you have any queries or to book your appointment
January 2021: Self-isolation policy for Admissions to The Portland Hospital
For Day Case admissions: Please note that your child, and the parent attending with them, must self-isolate for 7 days prior to admission.
For Overnight stay admissions: Your child, and the parent attending with them, must self-isolate for 14 days prior to admission.
The Portland Hospital Clinic & Operations: Updated 5 January 2021
Happy New Year! Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street & Operations at The Portland Hospital will be running as normal, including hearing tests, during the new lockdown. Please do keep your appointment / admission as planned.
Our clinics are on Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Fridays. Appointments are strictly limited to ensure complete safety to patient, parent and staff alike and appropriate PPE is worn when required. A reminder that only one parent is allowed in the clinic / hospital with the patient.
Update 20.12.20: Mr Hartley’s clinics on Monday 21 & Tuesday 22 December are going ahead as planned. The clinic is then closed for Christmas from Wednesday 23 December, reopening on Monday 4 January 2021. In the event that you require urgent treatment, please contact either your GP or Paediatrician or, if urgent, dial 999.
The Portland Hospital Urgent Care Centre is also open between Christmas & New Year. For further information about their opening times please click the link: https://www.hcahealthcare.co.uk/facilities/the-portland-hospital/centres-and-teams/urgent-care-centre-for-children
The Portland Hospital Clinics & Operations: Updated 2 November 2020
Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street and Operations at The Portland Hospital will be running as normal, including hearing tests, during the new month-wide lockdown. Please do keep your appointment / admission as planned.
The clinics are on Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Fridays. Appointments are strictly limited to ensure complete safety to patient, parent and staff alike and appropriate PPE is worn when required.
Just a reminder that only one parent is allowed in the hospital / clinic with the patient. A temperature check will also be taken on arrival and a face mask must be worn while you are in the building.
The Portland Hospital Clinics & Operations: Updated September 2020
Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street:
Clinics have now been running successfully since May, including hearing tests and nasal endoscopy, nasal cautery, etc. The clinics are now on Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Fridays. Appointments are strictly limited to ensure complete safety to patient, parent and staff alike and appropriate PPE is worn when required.
Operations at The Portland Hospital
Operations have now resumed fully at The Portland Hospital, with appropriate social distancing measures.
Please note that the patient will require to have 2 (negative) COVID swabs pre-operatively: the first swab 7 days before the admission (this can be done at a local testing centre) and the second swab 3 days before the admission (this to be done by the Hospital). The PreAssessment Nurses organise these.
The Hospital currently only allows one parent in the building with the patient (both for out-patients and for admissions).
Clinics & Operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Private Clinics and Operations are not yet available at Great Ormond Street Hospital for non-life-limiting cases.
Please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 or email: secretary@benhartley.org if you have any queries or to book your appointment
Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street:
We are happy to say that clinics restarted on 11 May 2020, including hearing tests, with appropriate social distancing measures and are running well.
We are also able to perform nasal endoscopy with the appropriate PPE and all statutory regulations have been implemented to ensure the safety of all patients, parents and staff.
Operations at The Portland Hospital:
Surgery has restarted very successfully, prioritising, initially, the more urgent cases
Please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 or email: secretary@benhartley.org to book your appointment
The Portland Hospital Clinics & Operations: Updated 4 May 2020
Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street:
We have been working very hard to prepare the Children’s Outpatients for the Covid Era, with all the appropriate measures, which will include:
- assessment on arrival with temperature checking
- careful social distancing
- widely-spaced appointments.
Very high standards of PPE are being implemented and parents will be asked to wear masks. It is preferred if just one parent attends the appointment. The evidence suggests children are very unlikely to spread the disease and are very low risk so we feel masks on children can be safely avoided.
The Government has advised that people are allowed to travel for any medical appointments, even during lockdown.
We will be starting the first clinics on Monday 11 May 2020.
Operations:
We are now making preparations to perform the more urgent children’s operations starting 19 May 2020. A comprehensive pre-assessment for children the week before the operation is planned, which will include Covid testing for all patients. Very careful processes are being put in place by The Portland Hospital to ensure the highest standards are maintained.
Update on Clinics: 6 April 2020
- During this difficult period we are determined to look after our patients as best we can. Mr Hartley will be running regular Video-Consultation clinics and will be very happy to see you online at set appointment times.
- Obviously, there are limitations with video-consultations in terms of being able to examine the ears and throat of your child but I would be able to advise if any treatment, medication, etc. will be needed.
- Prescriptions can be sent by email when indicated.
- These consultations are approved by the majority of insurance companies so please ensure you get an authorisation code for the appointment first.
- If you would like to proceed with the video-consultation please let Angela know (020 7390 8352 or secretary@benhartley.org) and she will email you the details of the App required to proceed.
Updated: 23 March 2020 @ 14:00
Portland Hospital Clinics & Operations:
- All non-urgent (life-threatening) operations and out-patient appointments are cancelled. This includes hearing test appointments.
- I will, however, be running Video-Consultation clinics instead and will be very happy to see you online at set appointment times. Obviously, there are limitations with video-consultations in terms of being able to examine the ears and throat of your child but I would be able to advise if any treatment, medication, etc, will be needed.
- These consultations are approved by the majority of insurance companies so please ensure you get an authorisation code for the appointment first.
- If you would like to proceed with the video-consultation please let Angela know (020 7390 8352 or secretary@benhartley.org) and she will email you the details of the App required to proceed.
Great Ormond Street Hospital Clinics & Operations:
Private patients are not being accepted at Great Ormond Street hospital to maximise capacity within the NHS.
Updated: 20 March 2020 @ 17:00
Portland Hospital Clinics:
- Unfortunately, all non-urgent out-patient appointments are to be cancelled from 20 March 2020. This also includes hearing test appointments.
- I will, however, be running Video-Consultation clinics instead and will be very happy to see you online at set appointment times. Obviously, there are limitations with video-consultations in terms of being able to examine the ears and throat of your child but I would be able to advise if any treatment, medication, etc, will be needed.
- These consultations are approved by the majority of insurance companies so please ensure you get an authorisation code for the appointment first.
- If you would like to proceed with the video-consultation please let Angela know and she will email you the details of the App required to proceed
updated 20/03/20 @ 13:00
Clinics at The Portland Hospital:
- Clinics at 234 Great Portland Street are running as normal with the additional option of video consultation
- As Mr Hartley is an NHS Key Worker some of his private clinics may be subject to change
- The Government advice is that you can travel for hospital appointments
Operations:
- Only urgent operations will be carried out at The Portland Hospital.
- Private patients are not being accepted at Great Ormond Street hospital to maximise capacity within the NHS.
Update 18 March 2020
The UK situation is changing rapidly with regard to the advice from Public Health England and also from the management teams at both Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Portland Hospital. I am receiving daily briefings.
Clinics at The Portland Hospital
Currently, clinics at 234 Great Portland Street are still running and, as long as children and families are well with no fever or cough, they should attend as normal.
Video-Consultations: Some families are preferring to have video-consultations. These have been endorsed by BUPA and will be covered under an authorisation number as for standard consultations. It seems likely that other insurers will do the same. There are limitations with video-consultations in terms of being able to examine the ears and throat of a child but the initial feedback has been very positive. On some occasions, after a video consultation, it may be necessary to see the child in clinic to examine them formally but often this is not needed.
If you wish to arrange a video consultation for your child please call Angela on 020 7390 8352 and she can organise this. It involves using an App called BlueJeans and will work on any smartphone and most laptops.
We will require the authorisation code from your insurer prior to the video-consultation. Alternatively, if you wish to self-pay then we can offer that facility with pre-payment by card.
Operations: The situation is being carefully being monitored but ENT surgery is proceeding, at present, at The Portland Hospital.
Private patients are not being accepted at Great Ormond Street Hospital to maximise capacity within the NHS