UK’s busiest hospital declares Covid ‘disaster mode’ after tsunami of cases with only 1 nurse for every 3 ICU patients
THE UK's busiest hospital has declared it is in Covid "disaster mode" after a tsunami of cases has left only one nurse for every three intensive care patients.
A leaked memo from management at the Royal London Hospital said it was struggling to cope with the huge spike in coronavirus cases.
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“While this is far from ideal, it’s the way things are, and the way they have to be for now. Things are going to get harder before they get better.”
Management said in the email that “every hospital in northeast London is struggling”, and that the rest of the city would be in a similar position in a fortnight.
The network, which covers 17 hospitals in London and Essex, reportedly said it was “beyond full” and “needs help” to cope with a shortage of nurses and rapidly depleting oxygen supplies.
The note added that the network was dangerously close to full capacity with 235 patients in 236 beds, 160 of whom were battling Covid-19 - with further patients expected.
He said: "We are very, very tight in intensive care and we do not have enough ITU trained nurses to deal with the number of patients in intensive care.
"As a result we are back to where we were in April, when we had to draft in non specialists to help. We are really stretched."
Yesterday, Essex called in the army after declaring a major incident at their crippled hospitals - with patients being treated in the back of ambulances.
Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, asked Health Secretary Matt Hancock for military support in building extra hospitals and to help roll out the Covid vaccine.
There are also growing fears that hospitals in London could send patients to Yorkshire as intensive care units reach breaking point, reports
The Royal Free in the capital has already decided to move its children's inpatients unit to another hospital to free up space for adult patients, covid and non-covid sufferers alike.
Gareth Grier, the Director of the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care, warned that the “impact of the surge on emergency departments this time is very different” from the Spring due to “bigger numbers”.
Urging hospitals to ensure adequate space for patients, he tweeted: “If covid patients are left in corridors then covid will spread like wildfire within the hospital.”
Mr Grier added that, as a result, medics had been forced to ‘cross a red line’ and treat patients outside in ambulances and tents.
NIGHTINGALES 'READIED'
Nightingale hospitals across England, which were previously empty, are now being "readied" for use if needed as Covid patient numbers rise.
The NHS in London has been asked to make sure the Excel centre site is "reactivated and ready to admit patients" as hospitals in the capital struggle.
Other Nightingale hospital sites across England include Manchester, Bristol, Sunderland, Harrogate, Exeter and Birmingham.
A spokesman for the NHS said: "In anticipation of pressures rising from the spread of the new variant infection, NHS London were asked to ensure the London Nightingale was reactivated and ready to admit patients as needed, and that process is under way."
The surge in infections comes as three quarters of England was plunged into harsh Tier 4 restrictions last night to prevent the spread of the new variant getting out of control.
The British Medical Association (BMA) today welcomed the government’s decision, warning that the NHS will "struggle to get patients in urgent need of care, the care they need" if the trajectory of rising infections continues.
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Council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: "With daily cases soaring to over 50,000 this week, placing the NHS under enormous strain, the decision to move millions more people into tougher restrictions across the country is a necessary step.”
He added: "As we hear more reports of hospitals declaring major incidents, ICU beds reaching 100% capacity in parts of the country, and patients having to be transferred to other hospitals for care, it is vital that everything possible is done to bring down the spread of the virus."