Hospital staff snub Prime Minister

The message that is repeatedly churned out at media briefings in recent weeks about intensive care units still having empty beds throughout the crisis is a distortion of facts.

Major hospitals worked frantically at the start to set up additional ICU areas.

Non urgent surgery was cancelled and theatres and recovery areas were converted into ICUs. In some hospitals entire wards were converted to ICUs.

There were extraordinary measures taken to accommodate the influx of gravely ill patients who required ventilation in ICU.

All these extra ICU beds are included in the total when the figures are read out to state there are still empty beds. I’ve yet to hear that point mentioned.

I take medication for high BP, but haven't had a routine review. I'm aware they have the potential for kidney damage, as has diabetes, which is why it's actually important that I do have blood tests. I take my own BP a number of times a day and decided I wasn't going to take BP medication until I had the blood tests. My GP grudgingly agreed with me. I do what I can to help myself by eating no red meat and very little animal fat. So far, my BP hasn't risen above normal.

I'm sorry to hear of your very difficult situation, Gillybob.

gillybob you have absolutely no need to explain yourself to anyone.

Population Belgium = almost 12 million

Population U.K. = almost 70 million

Stands to reason we have more deaths overall, but not per capita.

I’m not surprised at all by these figures growstuff my DH ended up on life support after acquiring a HAI (hospital acquired infection ) following an operation last October .

Sorry for Belgium but it does make a nice change to have it acknowledged that the U.K. isn’t the worst country after the USA for C-19 as so many were stating last week.

There's an article in today's Guardian claiming that between 10-20% of Covid-19 cases in hospital were acquired in hospital, often related to other procedures. It seems a wise precaution to delay non-essential treatments, just as happens with MRSA.

That could have been avoided with better planning - if, for example, private hospitals had been requisitioned and patients strictly segregated.

Because he was told he was due a check up /review before they would repeat his meds. He had massive bladder and urethra stones removed in February and still awaiting more surgery . The meds he has have potential to harm the kidneys (which are already under performing ) . Obviously his check up/review was cancelled along with his kidney scan . He had a drive through blood test last week after I pleaded that he was at high risk of another stroke . Still no results or meds. Thank you for asking growstuff

grow cross posts

gilly there isn’t the staff and there never was in fact.

The main problems with the Nightingales and other hospitals is staffing. As Hetty wrote, the Nightingales were never intended as treatment centres, but holding centres for those expected to die. There was never a budget for staff, so hospitals were expected to release their own staff to accompany patients.

Most hospitals have had to transfer staff from other specialties to treating Covid. They didn't have the existing staff and a number of staff are absent because they are self-isolating.

I don't suppose the staff in Belgium who turned their backs on the PM just walked out of a shift. They were probably on a break and I can't say I blame them for showing anger and frustration in the way they did. It got the message across in a way no meeting or social media ranting ever would have done.

Why doesn't your OH have medication gillybob? Over the last two and a half years, I've experienced medication shortages 3 or 4 times - nothing to do with Covid-19.

I agree that the issue of nearly other work being delayed/cancelled is huge. That’s why it’s not true when the Govt says the NHS has not been overwhelmed - it’s handled the COVID cases in hospital but as we all know, at the cost of other work and by throwing care homes under the bus. That’s exactly why better pandemic planning would have come into its own. A proper plan would have planned for other work ( within reason) to have continued at least in part. For example, by requisitioning private hospitals ( many of which have NHS contracts anyway) and using them. ( there are examples of this happening). The real challenge however would have been keeping them COVID free - Two aspects of that are a good testing infrastructure and adequate PPE. I know someone involved in the planning of opening up the local hospital to normal work. It’s incredibly complicated and certainly not quick as non COVId teams of staff have to be created for one thing. Repurposing the hospital to COVID work was actually very quick and easy in comparison.

Hg

And please don’t tell me I don’t have a clue .

I’m not criticising the use of the Nightingales Suziewoozie because they are not being used. Great that we don’t have that awful overflow but not great that they are ignoring other poorly people needing hospital treatment . If they are there why not use them and at least try to keep hospitals working as (almost) normal

It’s a pity gilly that you think you can criticise the use of the Nightingales when you clearly don’t have a clue as to what they were set up ( I refuse to use the word ‘built’). FWIW I believe the Govt were right to set them up after we had all seen the scenes in Italy and Spain. Judging their role in the overall strategy is another issue and one that will be informed by the longer view.

I agree about the shocking lack of PPE . No excuses whatsoever .

But can you not see my point Hetty ? Normal activity is almost cancelled in hospitals . Very few operations going ahead, normal wards almost empty or closed and vital scans , appointments with specialists etc cancelled too.

They might be saving the lives of CV patients but at the same time they are potentially risking the lives of 1000’s of others .

I think it's very unlikely that a large number of medical staff would behave in that way unless they felt they had very good reasons.

This morning, I happened to be thinking about the doctor who was one of the first medics to die of CV, in the UK, and who had previously pleaded for sufficient PPE for hospital staff.

It must be heart breaking to be working in the current situation and to feel that your political leaders are not doing their utmost to support you.

So JE you say we hold off judging Governments but you think you’ve got the right to criticise the behaviour of medical staff.

gillybob, the Nightingale hospitals were only ever intended to be overflow facilities.

They were to be used for those already on ventilators and the dying - to free up vital space in hospital ITUs, that's all.

They were never designed to be isolation facilities.

My DH had a stroke 2 years ago . He was in ICU and on life support throughout all of October, November and much of December last year. He has been without medication for just over a week now . No BP tablets which is the most worrying . It’s as though the left arm of the NHS is not working with the right arm iyswim . Saving lives but putting so many others at risk .

OK I get that you are really worried and concerned about your DH. Yes, the NHS was in a bad way 2 years ago and it’s now even worse because of Covid. You must be very worried.

For the record it was a “she” but she said that it was impossible for her to diagnose or advise most things over the phone without scans etc. She said that was the case for most people she had contacted. Just going through the motions in order to tick boxes . Her words not mine . Also said she wasn’t even the right consultant for my non life threatening but non the less painful condition .

I should have said I thought their behaviour was childish, which I think it was.

Doctors and nurses around the world are doing a wonderful job, we all know that but that doesn’t mean that their behaviour in certain circumstances can never be criticised does it?

Leaders around the world are struggling with a new virus , and yes mistakes will be made, but it will only be in the fullness of time that we can judge which did best.