The majority of appointments at York Hospital will be going ahead on the day of the Queen’s funeral, it has been announced.
Monday, 19 September will be a bank holiday to allow the nation to pay its respects.
Across the country, hospital appointments, funerals and theatre performances have been cancelled or postponed and museums and supermarkets have said they will close.
Hospital trusts are expected to make their own decisions around appointments based on local staffing levels and whether local transport will allow patients and staff to attend.
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said if patients did not hear from them, they should assume their appointment was going ahead.
An update from the trust read: “It is important that we strike the right balance between supporting staff and patients who wish to pay their respects and continuing to deliver essential services.
“As such, where possible, we are planning to undertake the majority of planned work and outpatient appointments already booked, subject to workforce availability.”
It continued: “We are currently in the process of contacting patients whose appointment will be affected. If patients do not hear from us, they should continue to attend their appointment as planned.”
If patients want to change their appointment in order to pay their respects, they should contact the hospital on the number listed on their appointment letter, the statement added.
Funerals continue
Funerals arranged for Monday will take place at York Crematorium, but the crematorium office will be closed.
York schools will be closed but weddings and civil partnership ceremonies involving York Register Office will still go ahead.
Council buildings such as libraries, leisure centres, children centres and community centres will be closed, as will West Offices.
Two thousand people including world leaders and foreign royals will gather inside Westminster Abbey in London on Monday for the final farewell to the nation’s longest reigning monarch.
On Monday morning, the doors of Westminster Abbey will open at 8am as the congregation begins to take its seats, three hours before the service begins at 11am.
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