Hospital staff are ‘on their knees’ as Covid cases soar
Hairmyres at `breaking point’due to pandemic
Staff at a Lanarkshire hospital are at ‘breaking point’ as patients hospitalised by Covid doubled in 10 days across the health board area.
Last week saw ambulances queue outside Hairmyres A&E due to the lack of beds, with staff struggling to cope and the health board now expanding visiting restrictions and cancelling non-urgent procedures.
Waiting times for A&E also paint a worrying picture, with Lanarkshire the second worst-performing health board in the second week of August – 67.8 per cent of the 3977 patients were seen within the target time of four hours.
For the week ending August 22, this dropped to 65.5 per cent of 4290 attendances – compared to 75.1 per cent across Scotland.
At Hairmyres in East Kilbride 64.1 per cent or patients were seen, admitted or discharged within four hours, with 453 waiting over four hours, 83 patients over eight hours and 17 over 12 hours.
Staff at the coalface admit that the system is failing.
Emergency medicine consultant at Hairmyres, Calvin Lightbody, told us: “Our poor performance reflects that the whole system is failing.
“We depend on patient flow.
“Just one day this month across Lanarkshire, we had 600 patients across our three hospitals.
“Only 60 per cent of them were admitted or discharged within four hours. Sixty per cent or below was unheard of in the past. Now it’s day after day and it’s taking its toll on everyone. The whole system is broken.”
Dr Lightbody went on to say that although “only a very small” number of patients attend A&E with virus symptoms, lockdown has had a major impact on demand.
He added: “Every on-call shift now, there is that sense of dread. This is the standard.
“We just know it’s going to be a long, long
night. The biggest percentage of our work is patients with minor illnesses or injuries that could have been seen elsewhere.
“Some tell me they are struggling to access their GP.
“We are also seeing an increase in patients being directed here by NHS 24.
“Other patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart failure and respiratory conditions which haven’t been properly managed during lockdown are presenting later with complications.”
The doctor also said he is witnessing more of his colleagues leave the profession due to the “relentless pressure” and stress.
Senior nurse Carol Miller said staff are “on their knees”, adding: “I’ve been in nursing for 34 years and this is one of the most difficult
times I’ve come across. We can’t get enough staff. We are trying to plug these gaps to make it safe for our patients.”
Elsewhere in Lanarkshire, the latest A&E waiting time figures are equally as worrying.
At Wishaw General for the week ending August 22, 60.3 per cent of patients were seen within four hours, with an alarming 622 waiting over four hours, 176 over eight hours and 31 over 12.
Meanwhile at Monklands, 72.3 per cent of patients were seen within four hours, 404 waited over four, 40 over eight hours and none over 12.
Judith Park, director of acute services at NHS Lanarkshire, said the health board continues to experience pressure across its acute hospital sites, including Hairmyres.
She added: “These pressures are continuing due to three main factors; the number of Covid-19 positive patient, trying to maintain and recover key clinical services – including planned operations – and a shortage of staff due to annual leave or those having to self-isolate as a result of contacts outside of work.”
All services in the community, GP surgeries and hospitals are currently operating differently and at different capacities due to infection prevention and control measures which is putting additional strain on services and resources.
And Ms Park is once again urging the people of Lanarkshire to play their part by accessing the “right care in the right place at the right time”.