‘Achievement to celebrate’ as NHS bosses look to the trust City hospitals among best for virus outcomes
LEICESTER’S hospitals trust is ranked in the top three in the country for treating coronavirus.
Outcomes for patients are “significantly better” than elsewhere in the country, the NHS has said
As a result, national NHS bosses have asked to meet Leicester medics with a view to replicating the trust’s work elsewhere.
Medical director Andrew Furlong revealed at a board meeting that University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust was one of three nationally where outcomes were “significantly better”.
Director of strategy Mark Wightman said the achievement should be celebrated.
He told the trust board: “Leicester has been in the news for months now for all of the wrong reasons with the extended local lockdown so this is welcome good news.
“There are 147 trusts in the country and Leicester is in the top three.
“That is something to be celebrated. It’s testimony to the hard work of all involved but particularly our frontline staff.”
It was also revealed at the same meeting that data suggests patients are not catching coronavirus in
Leicester’s hospitals.
The claim was made as bosses heard the number of inpatients with coronavirus in the Leicester Royal Infirmary, Glenfield and General hospitals continues to remain stable.
Trust acting chief executive Rebecca Brown said the number of inpatients who have tested positive for Covid-19 is hovering between 10 and 12 most days.
The figures are reported to bosses each day, so a patient who stays in hospital for a number of days will be included in the figures every day they are there.
The number has significantly dropped from those recorded at the height of the pandemic, when the number of patients with coronavirus in Leicester’s hospitals reached 200 on some days.
More than 55 patients a day were in the hospitals’ intensive care beds when the local spike was in full swing in mid-April.
Mrs Brown said: “Those numbers have come down because rates and positivity in the community are dropping and the trust’s position regarding Covid remains relatively stable.
“That said we are keeping a very, very close eye on this across all sites but particularly at Glenfield Hospital to ensure we are looking out for and aware of any increases.”
Mr Furlong said: “When testing patients who have been in our hospitals for seven days, our rates are significantly lower than a lot of other trusts.
“That would suggest people aren’t catching coronavirus in our hospitals.”
Mr Furlong said he believes the trust’s decision to introduce PPE before the government made it mandatory is a contributing factor as well as its commitment to ensure staff have access to the appropriate protective gear.
He said: “PPE protects not only staff but also patients.”