7 January 2011 (updated 20 January)
To help prevent the spread of flu please do not visit our hospitals if you have any flu-like symptoms.
This is important if you wish to visit a patient or if you have an appointment or admission date yourself. Please telephone the appointments team, or admissions office shown on your hospital letter, to arrange another appointment.
To protect yourself from flu, we do not recommend visiting patients in our hospitals who have suspected or confirmed flu. We also strongly advise that people with certain health conditions do not visit our hospitals at this time – please see Who should not visit patients in our hospitals.
Flu symptoms
The symptoms of flu are usually a fever or a high temperature (38°C or above) and two or more of the following:
- Unusual tiredness
- Cough / shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Pain / aching in your limbs or your joints
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Headache
If you think you may have flu, stay at home to limit your contact with others. Help yourself and others by not spreading the virus.
The best thing you can do is rest, drink plenty of fluids and take over-the-counter flu remedies to help relieve the symptoms.
If you need medical advice, please contact your GP or contact NHS Direct by calling 0845 4647 or visiting www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
Who should not visit patients in our hospitals
We are currently treating a number of patients with flu at both our hospitals. If you have one or more of the following conditions, we strongly advise that you do not visit because you are at greater risk of cross infection:
- Chronic heart disease
- Chronic lung conditions
- Chronic liver and kidney conditions
- Neurological disease
- Asthma (drug treated within the past three years)
- Diabetes
- A weakened immune system (immunosuppressed)
- If you are pregnant
Normal activity will return soon
Royal Brompton Hospital is one of a small number of hospitals currently treating patients who are severely affected by swine flu.
This means we are able to treat fewer patients with other conditions and that some patients may not be admitted as soon as hoped.
We apologise for these unplanned delays. Please be assured that this situation is temporary and we are working hard to make sure we see all our patients as soon as we can.
If you have any concerns about the length of time you have been waiting for your treatment, please contact your consultant’s office.
