England will have no further Covid restrictions until after the New Year.

MayBee70

I just hope that staff won’t be pressurised into returning to work until they feel well enough to do so.

I would imagine that most of them have just tested positive with absolutely no symptoms, just like numerous people I know and hear of.

Not sure which section the 31% of the workforce comes from.

Nether am I , to be honest! It was what was quoted in the news bulletin...

MaizieD

^f I'm remembering correctly, 40,000+ NHS staff were off sick at Christmas^.

Apologies. Poor memory skills. It was 24,000. 31% of the workforce. Still not good...

Not sure which section the 31% of the workforce comes from.

As of the 31st August the NHS full time eqivalent of staff was around 1.2M, up 3.1% from 2020 and not including GP's, Dentists and their staff.

I just hope that staff won’t be pressurised into returning to work until they feel well enough to do so.

BBC says the number of NHS staff off sick went up by 40% in the last week. That doesn’t sound like one in, one out to me either Urms.

Just watching BBC lunchtime news, they have reported that 4% of NHS staff in London are currently off sick/isolating.

Oops, one in, one out..

Typing skills gone AWOL today, too..

Urmstongran

Staff levels will ebb and flow. Once some go off sick they will be replaced by others returning.

It's not a one in, out, situation, Ug.

As covid infection numbers are rising it's inevitable that there will be more staff going off sick than returning.

And, it's possible to be reinfected...

f I'm remembering correctly, 40,000+ NHS staff were off sick at Christmas.

Apologies. Poor memory skills. It was 24,000. 31% of the workforce. Still not good...

Staff levels will ebb and flow. Once some go off sick they will be replaced by others returning.

My daughter is a nurse in a major city hospital. They currently are experiencing crippling staff absences due to covid. The wards are full. It’s a logistical nightmare trying to isolate covid +ve patients from others. They’ve had to cancel all elective surgery as they don’t have the bed capacity or staff to cope. They’ve yet to be hit with the knock on effect of Christmas socialising and new year gatherings.

Zoejory

Kali2

Can you imagine having to recover in those massive wards- with few staff, let alone any who are qualified! A nightmare.

No, I can't.

Most people are sensible and see the logic in this. If they're needed thy will be used.

They are not for very sick patients. And I've no ides why you think unqualified people will be working in them

You're just peddling fake news

The NHS is desperately short staffed already. Where are the extra 'qualified staff' coming from?

I suspect that Kali2's prediction might not be too far short of the mark.

GrannyGravy13

Maggiemaybe you beat me to it.

Sensible contingency planning in my opinion.

I just heard on the radio news that, if I'm remembering correctly, 40,000+ NHS staff were off sick over Christmas, mostly covid related.

If this level of absence continues, or increases, where are they going to get the staff for these extra wards?

I don't really understand the optimism. We may have fewer deaths but we still don't know what the long term effects of Omicrom are, it hasn't been around for long enough.

Aveline

The information on France is interesting. Despite all their restrictions they still can't get it under control.

Sadly true.

Kali2

Can you imagine having to recover in those massive wards- with few staff, let alone any who are qualified! A nightmare.

No, I can't.

Most people are sensible and see the logic in this. If they're needed thy will be used.

They are not for very sick patients. And I've no ides why you think unqualified people will be working in them

You're just peddling fake news

Given that care homes are short staffed where are all these new clinical and non clinical staff going to come from? Maybe they will remain when (hopefully) covid is less of a problem to solve the problem of bed blocking. And, perhaps they will be counted as some of the ‘new’ hospitals that Johnson has promised to build. Cynical. Moi?

Maggiemaybe you beat me to it.

Sensible contingency planning in my opinion.

Kali2

Can you imagine having to recover in those massive wards- with few staff, let alone any who are qualified! A nightmare.

Massive wards? A nightmare? Few staff, let alone any who are qualified?

Where do you get your "facts" from? This is just sensible contingency planning, surely?

Temporary structures capable of housing around 100 patients will be erected in the grounds of eight hospitals across the country, with work starting as early as this week. These Nightingale hubs will improve NHS resilience if the record number of COVID-19 infections leads to a surge in admissions and outstrips existing capacity. Placing the new Nightingale facilities in hospital grounds will make it easier to flex staff and equipment if there is a surge in admissions, providing access to diagnostics and emergency care if required. The new Nightingale facilities would take patients who, although not fit for discharge, need minimal support and monitoring while they recover from illness, freeing up regular ward beds to provide care for those with more intensive needs. Patients may include those recovering from COVID-19 who are no longer infectious and do not need intensive oxygen therapy. The units would be led by hospital consultants and nurses, but with other clinical and non-clinical staff brought in with rapid training to be able to perform routine checks and other tasks.

(NHS England)

“We hope the Nightingale surge hubs at hospitals will not have to be used but it is absolutely right that we prepare for all scenarios and increase capacity”. (Sajid Javid)

As I know the local authority situation wrt social care, I have wondered where all those from this nightingale hospital by me are going to go! They have already been sending people home from hospital too early according to various healthcare professionals I have spoken to

Barmeyoldbat

Sago if you really have to go dinner at friends I suggest you do a laterakl flow test just before you. Haven’t you read the rest of the posts

Sago: If you’re meeting up this evening it’s advisable to do LFTs as near to going out as possible, not this morning. See my post 28/12 at 12.17

Can you imagine having to recover in those massive wards- with few staff, let alone any who are qualified! A nightmare.

That’s because they didn’t have staff for the previous nightingales. I doubt they’ll have staff for these either.

maddyone

It was reported on SkyNews last night that some of the Nightingale hospitals are being prepared again.

Apparently these are totally different from those set up in 2020 these are extra capacity for those that are not seriously ill and are awaiting discharge

It was reported on SkyNews last night that some of the Nightingale hospitals are being prepared again.

LilacChaser

Yes, OK, I digressed when I talked about those from Wales and Scotland crossing the border. (But living on the border of one of those countries, Ihave heard of quite a few who are planning to).

The main point, though, was in agreement with another poster who said the restrictions (apart from total lockdowns) just don't appear to be working. No matter which country one happes to live in.

It wasn't digression as much as predicting that the Scots or Welsh would be bringing the virus over the borders to the English when in fact it could be the opposite.

Let's face it, there are cross-border journeys happening constantly, for work, shopping, pleasure, visiting families.
The virus doesn't respect borders.