The NHS has written an open letter to everyone in Dorset thanking them for their support during the pandemic.

“2020 has been the most challenging year in the history of the NHS and we would like to thank you for your continued support of our hard-working staff. We’d also like to thank all health and social care staff, and all key workers for everything that they continue to do in serving our community.
The NHS has changed how it works to respond to COVID-19. Some services look very different, and will continue to do so. We all have a role to play, whether looking after our own health or accessing services wisely and safely.
Receiving the treatment you need
In the coming weeks, people who need planned treatments are urged to take up their re-scheduled appointments in Dorset’s hospitals. Our hard-working staff are working their way through the backlog of patients who had their elective treatments postponed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please rest assured that we will prioritise the most clinically urgent patients. It is a worrying time but we have rigorous safety measures in place to protect both our staff and patients. As a result of these safety measures, some planned treatments are taking longer to perform than they did before and we thank you for your patience. If you need urgent help or advice for a problem which is not life-threatening, visit www.111.nhs.uk or call 111 in the first instance – please don’t just turn up at a minor injuries unit or GP surgery.”

You can read the full letter by clicking here.

You can find an easyread version of the full letter by clicking here.