Lamb Foggo UCC Winter Weekday Hours

Tuesday 15 December 2020: As part of its winter planning, Bermuda Hospitals Board today announced that it will be reducing the weekday hours of the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre (UCC) for the winter months, as it did last year.

From Monday 21 December 2020, the UCC will open from 4pm to 8pm every weekday and public holiday and will not offer a weekday x-ray service. Previously opening at noon, the later 4pm UCC start reduces daytime hours, but keeps the service open at its busiest time in the evening. Weekend hours will stay the same from 9am to 9pm, with an x-ray service. People can call the UCC if they need to check the hours at 298-7700.

BHB anticipates that the winter hours will be in place until Sunday 31 January 2021. Below is a video overview of the winter hours.

Dr Chikezie Dean Okereke, Chief of Emergency, comments: “Reduced UCC hours were first introduced last year following a rather difficult 2018 – 2019 winter. This reduction in UCC hours allowed us focus important resources on the Emergency Department, which always has an increase in seriously unwell people in winter. It worked very well and we saw a reduction in the number of people who left without being seen in the ED by 65% – something that happens when wait times are too long. Additionally, there was a 44% improvement in average time from arrival to discharge for all patients (2.8 hours verses 4.1 hours) and the boarding time for people admitted to hospital from the Emergency Department improved by 34% (from 13.1 hours to 9.5 hours), this despite an increase in total admissions (4% up, or 979 compared to 935 in 2018 – 2019). We are keen to improve this further.”

“This year obviously has added challenges as we are in a pandemic and we are currently experiencing a steep rise in positive cases. We may have to make further changes if these numbers continue to rise and our Emergency Department comes under greater pressure.

“We are however doing all we can to maintain the urgent care service at Southside. We know people in the East End appreciate having the service available, and it is a place anyone on the island with minor injuries and illnesses can attend and will often be seen more quickly than in the ED.

“I would stress that people with COVID-19 symptoms should not turn up in person for care at any medical facility unless they have called in advance, and I would add that the UCC Is not the right place to call. The UCC does not offer COVID-19 testing, and more importantly for people who feel very unwell, the UCC, unlike the ED and KEMH, does not have inpatient acute or critical care services.

“People who are concerned they have COVID-19 can utilise the COVID-19 patient symptoms self-assessment checklist which is available at bdahospitaldev.wpengine.com and the Government website. I would urge them to contact the Government’s COVID-19 hotline (444-2498) or primary care physician if they need advice and, failing this, call the Emergency Department at 239-2009 so, if needed, they can be instructed how to access care services safely.”

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