Important information about changes to our services

Changes to Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust services due to Coronavirus (Covid-19)

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis has caused unprecedented demand on services, so we have reluctantly taken the decision to suspend or revise the following services according to NHS England and Public Health England guidance.

We apologise for any inconvenience and will continue to review demand so we can return services to normal as soon as possible.

Please note that visiting in our inpatient and secure sites is currently suspended. Please contact the service to discuss alternative arrangements.

For more information on Coronavirus (COVID-19), click here.

 

Abacus Sexual Health

This service remains open but has temporarily changed the way it operates to provide as many services remotely as possible. Routine drop in and appointments are not currently available.

There is a telephone triage and consultation service in place which is supported by a postal service for the delivery of supplies. Please call the Abacus telephone triage line, Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 4.30pm on 0151 247 6555.

Following the telephone consultation, if a face-to-face consultation is urgently needed, service users will be offered an appointment at Central Abacus, at The Beat, 6 David Lewis Street, L1 4AP.

If you need information about an IUD/IUS or implant please see here.

If you want to order a Postal Chlamydia and Gonorrhea self-testing kit please click here.

If a face-to-face consultation is needed, please do not attend the clinic if you have either:

  • A new, continuous cough
  • A high temperature
  • Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do: Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

Addictions services

Hope Centre

In line with national guidance, all planned admissions to the Hope Centre have been significantly reduced. Referrals are still being accepted and service users will be placed on the waiting list. Please maintain contact with your key worker for an update.

 

Drug and alcohol teams

Clients are being seen when there is an essential or urgent clinical need. However given the current guidance on social distancing and Covid-19, to keep both our clients and staff safe we are significantly reducing face to face appointments for the foreseeable future. Instead we are offering assessment and treatment via phone, as well as virtual face to face therapy through a secure digital solution.

 

Urgent mental health support

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to divert people away from the already stretched emergency services. Local services division has centralised resources to support mental health assessments across various sites away from A&E.

This is now supported by an urgent/emergency referral pathway for emergency services and service users through a single contact number to access mental health services 24 hours per day. Please call: 0800 145 6570.

 

24-Hour Helpline

Mersey Care’s 24 hour helpline enables people with mental health needs to receive support, please call: 0800 145 6570.

. The service offers:

  • 24/7 access to mental health support services (including people in crisis)
  • 24/7 contact line for emergency services that will divert mental health activity away from A&E departments
  • 24/7 contact line for primary care colleagues for urgent/emergency referrals for mental health assessments.

The helpline can be accessed by:

  • Anyone 18+ self-referral or any professional.

 

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service (Liverpool)

Routine Speech and Language Therapy appointments across Liverpool have been temporarily suspended. 

The service will continue to accept new referrals. New referrals will be triaged and prioritised according to their assessed risk.

  • The Speech and Language Therapy service will be prioritising assessment and advice for swallowing difficulties.
  • Patients with a planned appointment will be contacted to discuss treatment options.
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed that all non-urgent appointments have been suspended.
  • Patients will be provided with the Duty Therapist’s contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The Speech and Language Therapy duty line is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 4.30pm for information or advice on 0151 296 7403.

If the duty therapist is on another call, please leave a message on the answerphone or with our administration officer and we will contact you as necessary.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E.

 

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service (South Sefton)

Routine Speech and Language Therapy appointments across South Sefton have been temporarily suspended. 

The service will continue to accept new referrals. New referrals will be triaged and prioritised according to their assessed risk.

  • The Speech and Language Therapy service will be prioritising assessment and advice for swallowing difficulties.
  • Patients with a planned appointment will be contacted to discuss treatment options.
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed that all non-urgent appointments have been suspended.
  • Patients will be provided with the Duty Therapist’s contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The Speech and Language Therapy duty line is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 4.30pm for information or advice on 0151 296 7403.

If the duty therapist is on another call, please leave a message on the answerphone or with our administration officer and we will contact you as necessary.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E.

 

Ambition Sefton (Drugs and Alcohol)

Clients are being seen when there is an essential or urgent clinical need. To keep both our clients and staff safe we are significantly reducing face to face appointments for the foreseeable future.

Instead, we are offering assessment and treatment via phone, as well as virtual face to face therapy through a secure digital solution. You can phone 0151 944 5334 for our Bootle office and 01704 534759 for Southport.

 

Armistead Centre

Armistead group sessions are temporarily suspended, but support is still available via the Armistead helpline.(0151 247 6560), Monday to Friday 9.30am and 4.30pm

If you require contraception, sexual health testing or screening please call the Abacus phone triage service on 0151 247 6555, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm.

 

Asperger's Service (Sefton)

This service has moved to virtual appointments. Please phone 01704 383 100.

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Service

This service has moved to virtual appointments. Please phone 0151 330 6904.

 

Bladder and Bowel Service (Liverpool)

The Bladder and Bowel service has temporarily suspended all face to face clinic sessions. Patients will continue to be assessed and access support and advice via telephone consultations.

Patients will be contacted to reschedule planned appointments. New referrals will be triaged via a telephone assessment, prioritised and clinical advice will be available over the telephone.

 

Carers update

We understand that you will be concerned during the present outbreak of the Corona Virus across the world. NHS England and NHS Improvement have issued Visitor Guidance and visiting has been suspended until further notice. The only exceptional circumstances where one visitor – an immediate family member or carer – will be permitted to visit are listed below.

  • The patient you wish to visit is receiving end-of-life care
  • You are the birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour
  • You are a parent or appropriate adult visiting your child.

A child is defined as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. Children Act 2004

The full guidance is in this document.

If you are a carer of someone who is an inpatient within our services please contact the unit for updates of your loved one.

If you require further information Carers UK have some very useful information about Coronavirus on their web page: Link below:

https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19

 

Children and Young People's Service

We will be holding health visitor led assessment clinics forLiverpool-based patients and service users aged 0-19. The clinic is for any child or young person that requires a weight/height or clinical observation of blood pressure or pulse to be recorded.

 Referrals will be accepted for the following:

  • Children with metabolic disorders
  • Babies presenting as failure to thrive
  • Children and young people where there is a high clinical need to have a face to face review.

The clinics will operate Monday to Friday with appointments being offered at Norris Green and Old Swan Walk in Centre. Children will be offered an appointment as close to home as possible. In line with the social distancing and infection control measures and guidance, five appointments will be available at each venue on a daily basis.

Parents or carers will be advised that only one adult should attend with a child and a PHE risk assessment will be completed prior to the confirmation of an appointment.

Referrals will be accepted from health visitors, school nurses, GPs, social workers and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital colleagues. Please complete the form available here and email it to: Merseycare.hvclinicduringCOVID19@nhs.net

If you have any questions  please call 0151 295 3317. 

 

Single Point Of Access

There is a reduced service and all assessments are being done remotely. 

 

Community Matrons

Community matrons are working with the district nursing service to prioritise home visits based upon clinical need and priority.

Patients with a planned appointment will be contacted and provided with advice and informed as to the next steps.

 

Community Mental Health Teams (North and South Sefton)

This service has moved to virtual appointments.

 

Community Respiratory Service (Sefton)

This team is still operational for:

  • Unplanned care is operating business as usual ( 2 hour response)
  • Pulmonary rehab are still accepting referrals but are offering telephone consultations only (shared previously)
  • Planned care is still accepting referrals and telephone consultations are available.

The service is operational seven days a week from 8am to 8pm. If you wish to contact the service or make a referral please call 0300 323 0240.

Patients are directed to call the patient line on 0151 475 4261 Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 am to 5pm. If the line is in use and after these hours an answer machine is in operatiion.

 

 

Criminal Justice, Liaison and Diversion Team

The court liaison service has been temporarily suspended.

 

Crisis contact information (Online and phone psychological support)

Click here for Mersey Care 24/7 helpline

 

Dental services

Community Dental Service, Personal Dental Services and Knowsley Orthodontics Service Arrangements for existing patients  

All routine appointments for the following community dental services have been postponed until further notice:

  • Mersey Care Community Dental Service
  • Vauxhall Personal Dental Service
  • River Alt Dental Service
  • Knowsley Orthodontics Service

Emergency Dental Arrangements for Community Dental Service, Vauxhall, River Alt Personal Dental Services and Knowsley Orthodontics:

This service will operate between 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you think you may be developing signs of a dental infection, which is usually accompanied by pain and swelling or a fever or your symptoms change in any way, please contact the dental advice line on 0151 295 8643.

Patients will be clinically triaged by telephone based on clinical need.

 

Out of hours

For any problems that occur out of the clinical opening hours, please contact 0161 476 9651.

 

If at any time you develop any of the following symptoms you should seek urgent medical advice from NHS 111 or from your nearest A & E department:

  • Severe swelling
  • Raised temperature
  • Unexplained lethargy
  • Overall feeling of discomfort and lack of wellbeing.

 

Diabetes Service (South Sefton)

The delivery of face to face education sessions has been temporarily suspended. Existing patients accessing the education sessions have been written to and provided with information and access to online education resources.

The referral criteria and process remains the same. New referrals will be triaged via a telephone assessment, prioritised and clinical advice will be available.

The patient and professional helpline is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0151 475 408.

 

District Nursing Service

We are working with the Community Matrons to prioritise home visits based upon clinical need and priority.

Patients with a planned appointment will be contacted and will be provided with advice and informed as to the next steps.

 

Ear syringing at Liverpool Treatment Rooms

To support delivery of key critical services and respond to coronavirus the ear syringing clinics provided by the treatment rooms have been temporarily suspended. The service will contact patients to inform them of appointment cancellations.

 

Ear syringing at south Sefton Treatment Rooms

To support delivery of key critical services and respond to coronavirus the ear syringing clinics provided by the treatment rooms have been temporarily suspended.

The service will contact patients to inform them of appointment cancellations.

 

Eating Disorders

This service has moved to virtual appointments.

 

Healthy Families programme

This programme has been suspended until further notice.

If you have any questions or need to contact one of the team please call 0151 295 3055.

 

Health Visitors Service – (including Family Nurse Partnership Team, Child Health Inclusion Team and Nursery Nurses)

  • A reduced service is available
  • Ante natal interventions will be conducted virtually with contact being via electronic technology or telephone between 28 and 35 weeks gestation
  • Birth visit will be risk assessed and undertaken between 10 to 14 days either within the clients home or via technology
  • Safeguarding and vulnerable families will continue to be supported.

If you need to contact your health visitor, please see below contact numbers:

  • North Liverpool: 0151 295 8416 or 0151 295 8576
  • Central Liverpool:  0151 295 3317
  • South Liverpool: 0151 295 9700

For the latest advice about pregnancy during the coronavirus pandemic, try here: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/

 

Heart Failure Service (North and South Sefton)

Face to face contact with patients has been reduced, but the service is operating business as usual for patient consultations and offering telephone appointments. 

Face to face consultation is still available for patients deemed as high risk and need a physical examination and the referral criteria and process remains the same.

The patient and professional helpline is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0151 475 4030.

 

Hope Centre (Addictions inpatients)

All planned admissions have been significantly reduced. Referrals are still being accepted and service users will be placed on the waiting list.

 

Life Rooms

All Life Rooms sites have been temporarily closed in line with Public Health England guidelines.

A Pathways Advice service will continue to operate via telephone on 0151 478 6556. It offers non-clinical support for any issues that are affecting someone’s wellbeing.

The mental health and wellbeing provision will continue to be offered via the Life Rooms website at www.liferooms.org

 

Lymphoedema Service

This service has temporarily suspended all face to face sessions at both sites. Patients with an existing appointment will be contacted and advice offered via telephone consultation or a home visit if required.

If you have any questions please contact: 0151 296 7100, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.

 

Mental health services

Mersey Care is in the process of rapidly deploying digital solutions to enable our staff, patients and carers to remain in touch throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular there is a strong focus on enabling people to connect ‘face to face’ through video meetings.

Inpatients

All visiting to our inpatient wards is suspended. Please contact the ward directly if you have any concerns. Technology is being deployed across our wards to ensure our patients can maintain contact with relatives and friends.

Carers can expect to keep in touch with patients via our ward iPads, through Skype, Facetime or Zoom. Carers can expect to be invited to phone or video for any meeting that they would ordinarily be invited to attend. 

 

Outpatient/therapy appointment information for adult and older adult services

Please do not attend for your scheduled outpatient appointment. This will be undertaken virtually or by phone. You will be contacted by the appropriate member of staff on the date and time of your arranged appointment. If the appointment is to take place via a video consultation you will receive full instruction in advance about how to participate.

 

Depot clinics

Please continue to attend for your depot clinics. You will be screened on arrival at clinic relating to any Covid-19 symptoms.  

 

Nutrition and Dietetics Service (Liverpool)

All routine Nutrition and Dietetic Service appointments have been temporarily suspended. 

The service will continue to accept referrals. New referrals will be assessed, triaged and prioritised according to clinical risk.

  • Patients with a planned appointment, those referred for home enteral feeding or at high risk of malnutrition will be contacted to discuss treatment options.
  • Patients with existing appointments will be contacted and provided with further advice.
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed that all non-urgent appointments have been temporarily suspended.
  • Patients will be provided with patient line contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The Nutrition and Dietetics patient line is open Monday to Friday between 8am to 4pm for information or advice on 0151 295 3868. 

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E. 

Patients registered with the Abbott Hospital to Home Service can also call 0800 0183 799 for advice.

 

Nutrition and Dietetics Service (South Sefton)

All routine Nutrition and Dietetic Service appointments have been temporarily suspended.

The service will continue to accept referrals. New referrals will be assessed, triaged and prioritised according to clinical risk.

  • Patients with a planned appointment, those referred for home enteral feeding or at high risk of malnutrition will be contacted to discuss treatment options.
  • Patients with existing appointments will be contacted and provided with further advice.
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed that all non-urgent appointments have been temporarily suspended.
  • Patients will be provided with patient line contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The Nutrition and Dietetics patient line is open Monday to Friday between 8 am to 4 pm for information or advice on 0151 247 6128.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E. 

Patients registered with the Abbott Hospital to Home Service can also call 0800 0183 799 for advice.

 

Occupational Therapy Adult Rehabilitation Team (COTART) and Community Falls Team for Liverpool Community

All routine appointments across Liverpool have been temporarily suspended. The service is continuing to complete urgent visits to avoid hospital admission, reduce falls risks and address high risk transfers (i.e. toilet, bed, chair, and stairs). 

The service will continue to accept referrals (e.g. bathing, rehabilitation, access). New referrals will be assessed, triaged and prioritised according to clinical risk.

  • Patients with existing appointments will be contacted and provided with further advice
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and telephone assessed to ascertain the urgency and a visit planned if essential
  • Patients will be informed that all non-urgent appointments have been temporarily suspended.
  • F7vPatients will be provided with the patient line contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The COTART/Falls patient line is open Monday to Friday between 8.00 am to 4.00pm for information or advice. Please ring 0151 295 3693.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E.

 

Park Unit Southport (now Pine Ward)

The adult mental health inpatient service at the Park Unit, Hesketh Centre, Southport, has relocated to Pine Ward, Hartley Hospital Southport. Contact telephone numbers will remain the same.

Please note that all other existing services based at the Hesketh Centre, including outpatient appointments (where currently appropriate), remain the same until further notice.

To contact the Park Unit (now called Pine Ward) telephone our main 24-hour switchboard on 0151 473 0303, or 01704 383600/ 01704 383100 (via Hesketh Centre switchboard office hours).

 

Personality Disorder Hub

This service remains operational for a small client group. 

 

Phlebotomy (blood sampling service) for Liverpool Community

This was suspended on Monday 23 March 2020 to ensure our resources are diverted to areas that need them most. These clinics are now by appointment and for urgent bloods only:

Breeze Hill Medical Centre, 1-3 Rice Lane, L9 1AD – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm

Kensington Health Centre, Edge Lane, L7 2PH – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm

South Liverpool Treatment Centre, 32 Church Road, L12 2LW – open from 7.00am until 5.00pm.

From April 1, any patients attending for INR blood test please present to reception.

Appointments are to be booked via Mersey Care’s Central Management Office: Telephone 0151 295 3400 option 4.

 

Physiotherapy Service (Liverpool Community)

All routine physiotherapy appointments across Liverpool have been temporarily suspended. The service will continue to accept referrals. New referrals will be assessed, triaged and prioritised according to clinical risk.

  • Patients with a planned appointment or those triaged as high risk will be contacted to discuss treatment options
  • Patients with existing appointments will be contacted and provided with further advice
  • Patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed that all non-urgent appointments have been suspended. They will be provided with patient line contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The physiotherapy patient line is open Monday to Friday between 8.30 am to 4.00pm for information or advice on 0151 295 3988.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E.

 

Podiatry Service (Liverpool and Sefton)

All routine podiatry appointments across Liverpool and South Sefton have been temporarily suspended.  

The service will continue to accept referrals. New referrals will be assessed, triaged and prioritised according to clinical risk.

  • Patients with a planned appointment or those referred for high risk foot wounds will be contacted to discuss treatment options
  • Patients with existing appointments will be contacted and provided with further advice
  • Patients on the waiting list will be informed that all non-urgent appointments have been suspended and will be provided with the patient line contact details to call for advice or if their needs change.

The podiatry patient line is open Monday to Friday between 8.30 am to 4.30pm for information or advice. You can call it on 0151 295 9428.

Outside of these hours, urgent advice is available via GP, NHS 111, NHS walk-in centres or A&E.

 

Primary Care Liaison

A reduced service is in operation.

 

Psychological Support Line

The psychological support team is available on 0151 473 0303 from 8.00am until 8.00pm - just ask for the team.

It's available to anyone over 16, who can self-refer for low level psychological support. It's for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as those experiencing anxiety or depression.

This isn't an immediate access telephone therapy service, but rather a listening ear support line, allowing space to discuss psychological needs. This may result in the team signposting to resources, information or other services and agencies.

 

Psychotherapy

This service has moved to virtual appointments. 

 

Rehab at Home

The Rehab at Home service continues to support patient discharges from the University Hospitals' Liverpool Aintree site. All routine home visits have been temporarily suspended.

It is operational Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm.

If you have any questions or need advice please contact a member of the team on 0151 247 6123.

An answer machine is available outside of these hours. Any messages left after 3:30pm will be answered the next working day. Urgent advice is available via Aintree University Hospital Fracture Clinic (0151 529 2554), GP, NHS 111, NHS Walk-in Centres or A&E.

 

School Health Nurses

  • This service is prioritising support for vulnerable children, young people and their families.

If you need to contact your local school health team, please see here and select the correct number based on the school.

 

Skin Service (complex wounds)

 

This service has been temporarily suspended, but patients with an existing appointment will be contacted and advice offered via a telephone consultation.

If you have any questions please call: 0151 295 9415, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

 

Skin Service (Well leg clinic)

To support delivery of key critical services and respond to the coronavirus outbreak, the Skin Service has temporarily suspended all well leg clinics. 

The service will contact patients to inform them of appointment cancellation and advice will be available via telephone consultations.

 

So to Speak

The So to Speak team are temporarily suspending attending schools and young people’s services to deliver sexual health education sessions.

If you require information regarding services and arranging education and training sessions in the future please call: 0151 247 6500.

 

South Sefton Diabetes Service

The Diabetes service has temporarily suspended the delivery of face to face education sessions. Existing patients accessing the education sessions will continue to be supported via a telephone assessment and consultation.

New referrals will be triaged via a telephone assessment, prioritised and clinical advice will be available.

 

Special School Nurses

  • This service is still available within educational settings; please see here for the full schools listing and relevant contact numbers.

 

Talk Liverpool

We continue to accept referrals but have suspended all courses and face to face appointments. We will instead offer assessment and treatment via telephone, on-line therapy via the SilverCloud programme and virtual face to face therapy via Skype.

We be accepted onto Talk Liverpool, an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service, you need to be registered to a Liverpool GP and aged 16 years of older.

To see what services they offer and who is appropriate to access those services go to their Can We Help You? web page.

If you are concerned about an existing appointment or having problems referring online please contact Talk Liverpool on 0151 228 2300. 

 

Treatment Rooms Service

This service across Liverpool and South Sefton is being reduced to following four key sites:

  • South Liverpool Treatment Centre, Church Road, Garston, L19
  • Everton Road Health Centre, Everton Road, L6
  • Breeze Hill Medical Centre, 1 Rice Lane, L9
  • Sefton Road Clinic, 67 Sefton Road, L21

Referrals are still being accepted to the service. The patient enquiries line is 0151 475 4007.

If you have an appointment, you will be contacted and triaged to assess if you are able to attend one of the key sites or arrange a home visit if required.

 

Urgent Mental Health Support

Our 24-hour helpline enables people with mental health needs to receive support on 0151 296 7200. The service offers 24/7 contact line for primary care colleagues for urgent/emergency referrals for mental health assessments.

 

Vaccination and Immunisation Service

This service has been temporarily suspended. Primary immunisations will be provided by your GP.

If you have any queries please contact 0151 295  3833

 

Walk In Centres

To support and maintain the safe and effective delivery of care for our patients and staff, the Liverpool NHS walk-in centres have moved to a telephone triage and appointment system.

Patients will be clinically triaged over the phone based on clinical need and will be allocated immediate appointments at an appropriate walk in centre.

The city walk-in centre based at the Beat, 6 David Lewis St, Liverpool, L1 4AF, will be temporarily closed but walk in centres will remain operational from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week at the following three sites:

  • Old Swan walk-in centre, Crystal Close, L13
  • Garston walk-in centre, at South Liverpool Treatment Centre, Church Road, L19
  • Smithdown children’s walk-in centre, Smithdown Road, L15 (aged 15 years and under).

Patients will be advised to call: 0300 100 1004 and will be screened for potential symptoms of COVID-19.

Following the telephone triage with a clinician, patients will be provided with a defined appointment time for further assessment and treatment at the most appropriate walk-in centre.

As from Monday 27 April 2020, the three operational Liverpool NHS walk in centres will have an advanced paediatric or general paediatric nurse on duty at each site. This clinical enhancement means regardless of which NHS walk in centre parents and carers are directed to for treatment and care of under 16 year olds, children will be seen by a specialist children’s nurse.

This aims to provide equitable access to specialist children’s nurses across the city and reduce travel time for parents and carers.

 

 

Ward 35

Ward 35 at Aintree Hospital has re-opened, but visiting remains suspended.

 

Wheelchair Service (Liverpool)                 

The service has been temporarily suspended. Referrals will still be accepted and triaged.

The following service contact numbers remain available for enquiries and repairs:

  • Wheelchair service telephone line: 0151 296 7770
  • Wheelchair repair line: 0151 282 5175

All patients on the waiting list will be contacted and informed of the temporary suspension of all non-urgent appointments.