STI appointments are cancelled, walk in centres restricted to urgent appointments only and visiting has been suspended in Merseyside's secure mental hospitals.
The raft of measures were announced this week as part of efforts to try and halt the spread of coronavirus.
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the county's mental health, community and prison healthcare services, says its staff are facing "unprecedented demand" during the crisis.
The changes will affect visitors to all inpatient and secure mental health settings, including Ashworth high security hospital in Maghull and Clock View hospital in Walton.
A spokesman for the trust said : “ Following advice received from Public Health England and NHS England regarding the current risk presented by COVID-19 (Coronavirus), it has been decided to review our activities to ensure we don’t inadvertently put anyone at any additional risk of infection.
“This includes asking patients to self-isolate as per national guidance for those experiencing mild symptoms of cough, fever, or breathlessness, which we regard as a proactive step to help protect our patients and staff until further notice.”
The trust also announced its Life Rooms mental health service will be temporarily closed, although the Pathways service will operate via telephone on 0151 478 6556.
Blood sampling services have been reduced and are now operating out of Breeze Hill Medical Centre, 1-3 Rice Lane – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm
Kensington Health Centre, Edge Lane, – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm
South Liverpool Treatment Centre, 32 Church Road, – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm.
The main affected services are:
Abacus Sexual Health clinics
All existing sexual health service appointments across all clinics have been cancelled.
However, the trust says a telephone triage and consultation service is in place, with a postal service for the delivery of supplies.
Anyone deemed to require an urgent face to face consultation will be offered an appointment at Central Abacus, which is situated at the Beat, 6 David Lewis Street, Liverpool City Centre.
However anyone showing symptoms of Covid-19, specifically a new continuous cough or a high temperature is urged not to attend any face to face appointments.
Abacus telephone triage is available between 9.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday on 0151 247 6555
Walk in centres
All walk in centres across Liverpool have moved to a telephone triage service.
Patients will be assessed over the phone and if necessary given appointments at specific walk in centres.
Patients are advised to call 0300 100 1004.
Trish Bennett, Executive Director of Nursing and Operations at Mersey Care, explained: "These important changes to how we operate are critical to help us support our patients and staff at this challenging time.”
“I am urging members of the public to listen and follow the government’s advice, if you think you may have coronavirus symptoms: please do not visit a walk-in centre, GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Simply stay at home and contact NHS 111 online .”
Dental services
From today, all routine appointments for community dental services have been postponed until further notice.
The affected dental centres are:
- Knowsley Orthodontics Service
- Vauxhall Personal Dental Service
- River Alt Dental Services
- Mersey Care Community Dental Services
