A HOSPITAL trust has announced they will be moving outpatient appointments from face-to-face to telephone-based for the safety of their patients.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust made the decision due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19.

The change will affect Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Romsey Community Hospital, Andover War Memorial Hospital, and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.

Unless there is a clear clinical need, patients will now be contacted by telephone from Monday March 30.

The trust also warned that non-urgent appointments may be delayed or cancelled.

Dr Lara Alloway, chief medical officer of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “For the safety of our patients, their families and our staff for the past few weeks we have been moving some outpatient appointments from being face-to-face to being telephone based.

"Due to the on-going situation with COVID-19 and in order to ensure we can continue to deliver the highest possible standards of safe care, this will be the default position as of Monday 30 March.

“From Monday all out-patient appointments will be conducted by phone unless there is a clear clinical need. If this is you, you will be contacted directly. If you are not contacted, your appointment will be by phone. In addition, some non-urgent appointments may be delayed or cancelled.

“Please do not attempt to attend your appointment in person unless contacted – you will not be seen by a clinician. We understand that this is a big change and that it will take time to get used to.

"However, it is essential that we do so in order to ensure patient and staff safety at this critical time.”