NHS chiefs back helping docs in busy spell
OPS POSTPONED AS MORE PATIENTS SEEK HOSPITAL BED:
OPERATIONS have been postponed and bosses are back on the front-line as Burton’s Queen’s Hospital faces one of its busiest Januarys on record.
Just 10 days into the new year, the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust has had to rearrange 30 non-urgent operations at Queen’s and the Royal Derby hospitals as its struggles to deal with an influx of patients during the winter, which includes many people hospitalised due to flu complications.
However, it said no scheduled cancer operations have been cancelled.
Some hospital bosses are also returning to their departments to help staff on the front-line deal with the volume of patients.
And a “semi-permanent” 28-bed ward will be set up at Queen’s Hospital to cope with the influx.
The trust has a total of 29 inpatients across its five hospitals suffering with flu alone, and has treated 78 for the illness in January 2019 so far.
This is in comparison to the same period last year from January 1 to January 10, which was another hugely busy year, when the trust dealt with slightly more flu cases at 123.
The five hospitals are: Derby, Burton, Lichfield’s Samuel Johnson, Tamworth’s Sir Robert Peel and London Road, in Derby.
Earlier this week, its acute hospitals Burton and Derby - were seeing a total of around 140 admissions a day, compared to the usual total of around 95.
Dr Magnus Harrison, executive medical director at the trust, said: “January is always our busiest month but its thanks to our dedicated staff that we have continued to provide high quality and compassionate care to our patients.
“Despite increased pressures, we haven’t had to cancel any cancer operations and we have been able to care for all the patients who have needed to be admitted with flu.
“As part of our winter plan, we have opened up 24 additional beds at Derby’s London Road Community Hospital, while a 28-bed modular ward is due to open at the Royal Derby Hospital in the next two weeks.
“A further 28-bed ward will also open at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital.
“We are caring for more poorly patients who require a hospital bed, but those who can use an alternative NHS service that is right for them should do, whether that be NHS 111, a walk-in centre, their GP, or a pharmacist.”
Dr Harrison also told BBC Radio Derby he has had to cancel meetings so members of his team, three A&E consultants, can be available to treat patients.
He said: “Anyone who can work clinically is working clinically, but it has been a hard yard.”
It was previously revealed in November that Burton would get the new “semi-permanent” ward in a bid to ease an expected increase in demand from patients over another “challenging winter period”.
The additional ward will be added to the hospital, in Belvedere Road, and will be temporary-style building which is to be attached to the on-site treatment centre at the hospital.
The modular structure unit will be an easier and quicker space to build, as opposed to putting in bricks and mortar structure, said hospital bosses and will be ready to use by this month.
Hospitals admissions traditionally rise across the country during winter as more people, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, fall ill.
Anyone who can work clinically is working clinically, but it has been a hard yard. Dr Magnus Harrison