Children’s unit used for adult Covid patients

DECISION MADE TO FREE UP SPACES TO MEET DEMAND

THE children’s intensive care unit at Glenfield Hospital has been given over to treating adults seriously-ill with coronavirus.

NHS bosses confirmed they had taken the “difficult decision” to move its paediatric intensive care activity to Birmingham so beds are available for Covid-19 patients.

The paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Glenfield is a specialist centre for congenital cardiac diseases and paediatric and neonatal respiratory treatment.

Andrew Furlong, medical director at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “Unfortunately, we are having to make the difficult decision to temporarily move our paediatric intensive care activity to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

“The move will help us to create the additional adult intensive care capacity that will be needed in the coming weeks.

“While this is not an easy decision to make, we believe it to be the safest way to care for our paediatric patients given the emerging coronavirus situation.”

The trust made a similar move between March and May.

Mr Furlong said: “This time, we have the benefit of the learnings from the first wave, which will inform how we manage this renewed period of pressure and best support our staff and families.

“As soon as it is once again safe to bring the service back, we will.

“We encourage people to continue to follow the Stay Home guidance, as well as Hands, Face, Space rules when outside, as this will help ensure people can safely access health services this winter if they need to.”

The other children’s intensive care unit and neonatal unit at

Leicester’s hospitals remain open. Leicester’s director of public health, Professor Ivan Browne, last week warned that hospitals in the city faced being overwhelmed within a fortnight by the number of coronavirus patients being admitted.

Prof Brown said: “The current lockdown will, we hope, help slow transmission rates.

But over the next two weeks, Leicester’s hospitals risk being overwhelmed as these rapidly rising levels lead to more people requiring hospital care.

“That means there’s a very real risk there won’t be beds, and places in intensive care units, for all the people who need them, whether it’s because of serious illness caused by coronavirus, or for all the other reasons we depend on the skills and expertise of the NHS.”

Latest figures show there are 365 coronavirus patients being treated at Leicester’s hospitals – the highest number at any point during the pandemic. There are 34 patients on mechanical ventilation.