COVID-19 Q&A: Perioperative care in a crisis - concepts to help with the crisis

COVID-19 Q&A webinar series

COVID-19 Q&A: Perioperative care in a crisis- concepts to help with the crisis

The COVID-19 virus has impacted all facets of the NHS and healthcare service delivery across the globe. As we move to re-start many surgical services in the UK, we look to review and refresh our advice for clinical teams and patients alike.

Perioperative care has long been a priority for the whole profession. We have worked with the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) to support and develop guidance for perioperative care. Perioperative care is the integrated multidisciplinary care of patients from the moment surgery is contemplated through to full recovery. But what does perioperative care look like during the COVID-19 crisis?

Join Vice President Miss Sue Hill, Consultant Vascular surgeon, who will be chairing a session with Mrs Scarlett McNally, Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon, Council Member and Deputy Director of CPOC, and Dr David Selwyn, Consultant Anaesthetist, Medical Director of Sherwood Forest Hospitals and Director of CPOC on Wednesday 10 June.

Good perioperative care should improve patient experience of care, including quality of care and satisfaction with care, improve health of populations, including returning to home/work and quality of life, and reduce the per capita cost of healthcare through improving value. Join the discussion on how good perioperative care can help surgical patients during this crisis.   

Why should you tune in?

We are going to explore the role that a perioperative approach can have to support the reintroduction of elective surgery during the ongoing pandemic. We will be taking questions and discussing a number of areas linked to the holistic approach of patient care including:

• what is perioperative care, what role does it have in surgical services?
• how do we support postponed patients to improve outcomes?
• lessons from perioperative care for reducing complications from COVID-19;
• shared decision making;
• risk stratification and supporting patients to consider alternatives to an operation;
• future of surgical care post-pandemic;
• motivating patients and teams on rapid health improvement.

We want to ensure that we are supporting you and providing you with the most helpful information for yourself and your peers. Please get in touch with our events team with any questions or further topics you would like to be discussed during this session. 

For those unable to join the livestream on Wednesday, the recording will be made available on our COVID-19 webinar page.

Further resources available

• Please see the Centre for Perioperative Care website with resources for patients and professionals.
• Doctors and surgeons in training are invited to join the FREE perioperative care training group.
• There is advice on motivational interviewing in a one-minute consultation on Moving Medicine.
• Download our guidance for Recovery of Surgical Services tohelp handle the backlog of surgical work being created by the outbreak. In the coming weeks we will be launching a series of tools to support this guidance, stay tuned!
• Our Confidential Support & Advice Service now has a 24/7 helpline for emotional support. Please make sure you are looking after yourselves, and know that we are here for you.
• Get involved with our COVID Research Group, bringing together a network of people to collaborate on a range of different COVID-19 specific research projects, all in the hope to find some answers to the unprecedented questions.
• Are you currently working out of scope? We have picked out key parts of our learning catalogue that will help support those stepping into new roles or returning to healthcare on the front line.
• Read our good practice guide that provides you with recommendations on adapting surgical services, working in extended scope of practice, caring for end-of-life patients and protecting the workforce.
• Find out about how you can write for our COVID-19 blog series, and share your story. We want to hear from you!
• Discover our COVID-19 hub, providing you with the latest news and an extensive list of resources to support you.