PATIENTS CONCERNS OVER INFECTED HOSPITAL STAFF
HOSPITAL STAFF SELF-ISOLATE AND A&E TEMPORARILY SHUT
PATIENTS who have visited Hillingdon Hospital in the past week have raised concerns after it emerged the hospital has been hit with an outbreak of coronavirus.
The major West London hospital declared an outbreak on July 3 and closed A&E as a temporary measure on Wednesday July 8.
Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust confirmed that 70 members of staff were self-isolating and that some had tested positive for the virus.
A number of patients who have visited the hospital in recent days have contacted MyLondon to express fears that they may have contracted the virus themselves.
One woman, who is a school teacher, visited the hospital on Saturday July 4 for an out of hours doctors appointment. She was tested for coronavirus at 7pm on Wednesday July 8, the same day the news of the outbreak broke.
She said: “I have to say I’m quite anxious because I’m in the vulnerable category and so is my daughter. I have a serious underlying health condition which is adding to the worry.
“I’m very grateful that the NHS and the Government allowed me to be tested so quickly. I’m just eagerly awaiting my results which I hope will be within 48 hours. I work in a school so I’d like to give them peace of mind too.”
Another woman, who was equally as concerned, said she was confused whether or not she now needs to self-isolate. She said: “I was a patient within Hillingdon hospital A&E on Wednesday, July 1. Do I and people I have been in contact with need to be self-isolating?”
Councillor Tony Eginton, Hillingdon Labour’s public health spokesperson, said the outbreak was “clearly very worrying” and raised concerns over patients that had come into contact with now self-isolating staff who could have caught the virus.
“How many of those patients have actually been traced? Otherwise there could be isolated pockets in the borough as a result,” he said.
Public Health England has said the outbreak is ‘currently isolated to the hospital with no indication of wider community transmission’.
NHS England confirmed the latest advice is that patients do not need to self-isolate unless they are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service.
Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director for Public Health England, said: “We are supporting Hillingdon Hospital after a number of staff who are now self-isolating tested positive for Covid-19.
“Together with the Trust’s management, the local director of public health and the JBC, PHE’s role is to provide advice on actions that can limit the spread of infection including enhanced cleaning, reviewing infection control practices and reinforcing hand hygiene and social distancing.
“Overall, levels of coronavirus across London boroughs, including Hillingdon, remain low and steady. This incident is currently isolated to the hospital with no indication of wider community transmission, however we remain vigilant and are carefully monitoring the situation.”
Hillingdon Hospital has said that while temporary measures are in place, people should not go to the hospital’s A&E department, and instead use the NHS 111 phone or online service for advice on what to do – or in emergencies, use 999.
A spokesperson for Hillingdon Hospital added: “We and other health organisations have well established plans for this kind of measure, and anyone requiring emergency treatment will be able to get it at a nearby hospital. This will not affect any of our current inpatients.
“This does not apply to patients having planned treatments or appointments at the hospital or who are newly referred by their GPs for urgent treatment.
“Pregnant women who are more than 22 weeks pregnant will also continue to be taken to the maternity unit at Hillingdon if they need a hospital admission.
“Patients can be assured that the highest levels of protection are in place, so if you are asked to come to hospital, please do.”