COVID-19
Guidance
We have produced or contributed to several sets of guidance intended to help surgeons and their teams manage the challenges presented by COVID-19. This guidance should be read in conjunction with PHE’s guidance on the use of PPE in clinical settings.
Management of vaccine-induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia
- Published: 27 April–6 May 2021
- The colleges and special surgical societies have produced guidance to help clinicians manage the neurosurgical, gastrointestinal and vascular manifestations of vaccine-induced thrombotic events.
Recovery of surgical services before and after COVID-19
- Published: 29 April, with subsequent updates
- A framework to help manage the backlog of elective operations during and after the outbreak.
Clinical guide to surgical prioritisation
- Published: 11 April, with subsequent updates
- How to prioritise surgical patients using four easy to follow priorities.
Guidance for pre-operative chest CT imaging for elective cancer surgery
- Published: 9 April (Intercollegiate), with subsequent updates
- Supplementary guidance to help with pre-operative imaging for patients needing elective cancer surgery.
Clinical guide for the management of essential cancer surgery for adults
- Published: 7 April (NHS England and NHS Improvement)
- Supports cancer services to prioritise and manage essential cancer surgery.
Good practice for surgeons and surgical teams
- Published: 1 April
- Includes how to adapt surgical services, caring for patients at the end of life, returning to practice, working in an extended scope of practice, and PPE.
General surgery guidance
- Published: 26 March, with subsequent updates
- Advice includes risks of aerosol generating procedures and PPE.
Initial guidance for surgeons
- Published: 20 March (Intercollegiate)
- Written by two surgeons with experience of working in disaster zones to provide initial guidance on handling COVID-19.