Derby’s hospital chief highlights the extreme pressures on the NHS, with record patient numbers and challenges in emergency care.
Derby: The hospital chief is sounding the alarm. The NHS is facing pressures like never before. With the pandemic’s fifth anniversary approaching, things are getting tough.
Stephen Posey, the chief executive at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, shared some eye-opening stats. A&E visits are up by 12,000 compared to last year. That’s a lot of extra patients!
He mentioned that they’ve been on the highest alert level, OPEL 4, due to risks to services and patient safety. It’s a serious situation, and the staff are working hard to keep everyone safe.
During the festive season, while many were winding down, the NHS was gearing up. Now, as the new year rolls in, the pressure is still on. They’re dealing with a surge in urgent care demands.
In November alone, urgent care demand rose over five percent. That’s about 12,400 more patients than last year! Experts are warning that this winter’s flu season could be one of the worst.
They’re facing a ‘quad-demic’ with flu, Covid, norovirus, and RSV all hitting at once. To tackle this, they’ve started point-of-care testing for these viruses in admission areas.
At the start of December, over 70 patients with respiratory illnesses were in beds. That’s like two and a half wards full! It’s a tough time for the staff, who are doing their best.
However, the reality is that patient experiences can suffer. Some folks are waiting a long time in A&E or for a bed. It’s not ideal, but they’re doing what they can.
Ambulance handover times are also affected. They’re working closely with ambulance teams to improve this. Despite all the planning for winter, it’s been a real challenge on the ground.
Over the past year, 68 percent of A&E patients were seen within four hours. But with so many more patients, delays are happening. Just last week, 58 patients were stuck in ambulances outside Royal Derby Hospital.
On January 7, 41 ambulances waited over an hour outside the hospital. It’s a tough situation, but the staff are committed to making things better.
