Hospitals plan for winter illnesses and second wave of Covid-19
PLANNING: Hull Royal Infirmary
The region’s hospitals trust is hoping to receive more than £3m of Government funding to help Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill cope with winter illnesses and a possible second wave of Covid-19.
Flu among an ageing population, falls caused by bad weather and viruses like RSV and bronchiolitis among children have resulted in significant pressures on beds during previous winters.
The threat of a second spike of Covid-19 creates an added pressure this year, with plans in place should it occur.
A flu campaign involving a large-scale vaccination programme to help every member of staff avoid the flu and a plan to manage potential problems with Brexit are also in place.
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s deputy chief operating officer, Michelle Kemp, said: “We have been working for months on plans to see us through winter, regardless of a second wave or not.
“We are doing everything we can to help you or your loved one if you need us and make sure our services and our teams are in the best possible shape.
“But this isn’t just about what we’re doing – you can play a major part in this by only coming to our Emergency Department (ED) with genuine emergencies so we can help those with life-threatening and serious illnesses and injuries.
“If you do this, our hospitals will be able to manage the relentless pressure of winter and whatever else comes our way.”
The trust’s winter plan includes:
A new winter ward opening in December with 22 extra beds
Pathology services expanded for swift diagnosis, allowing treatment to begin
A new contact and acute referral service for GPs
Extra nurses and porters in ED to transfer patients who need admitting onto wards
Additional admin staff on wards to speed up discharge for patients well enough to go home
A new at-home IV service to give antibiotics to sick children, enabling them to stay at home instead of in hospital
Extra clinicians including consultants, specialist nurses and surgical staff
Seven-day services in the Cardiology Unit and Cardiac Cath Lab to help patients with heart conditions.
In addition, the trust has plans for more than £500,000 to be invested in additional clinical support services including the flu campaign, pharmacy, diagnostic services such as MRI and CT and therapies to ensure patients get access to rehabilitation and support.
Extra nurses will also be recruited to work as part of the teams at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.