UHDB statement - Update on Covid-19
The rising levels of Covid-19 in our communities has meant that we have seen an increase in the number of Covid-19 infected patients we’re caring for in our hospitals. We are working hard to provide the best level of care that we can for our patients and we are doing everything we can to keep our hospitals safe.
We learnt a lot during the first wave, so we are better prepared and we are using this insight to improve our treatment of Covid-19 patients and protect others from the virus. During the summer we restored services affected in the first wave and this means the number of patients in our hospitals is greater this time, which also means there is more pressure on our staff and resources.
As of yesterday, we are caring for 161 Covid-19 positive inpatients across our hospitals, with around three quarters at Royal Derby Hospital and a quarter at Queen’s Hospital Burton. We have 12 patients in ICU and sadly since the start of the week, 15 patients with Covid-19 have died. Our thoughts are with their friends and family.
The number of Covid-19 positive inpatients remains lower than the number of patients we cared for at the peak of the first wave in April, which was around 250, however it has been increasing at a significant rate, more than doubling in the last fortnight.
We are hopeful that Derbyshire and Staffordshire moving to Tier 2 will limit the spread of the virus in our communities and slow down the rate of our hospital admissions over the next month. We have not yet had to cancel planned services such as routine surgery, however we may have to make some difficult decisions if the level of Covid-19 admissions doesn’t slow down. Our priority will always be the most clinically urgent patients but we know how distressing delayed treatments are for everyone.
The Covid-19 patients we are caring for in our wards and on ICU are generally over 50 years old and often have underlying health conditions. This group of people are being hit the hardest by this virus and there are steps we can all take to help to protect them:
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Follow the rules of Tier 2 and do not invite guests into your home – treat these rules as a minimum.
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Wash or sanitise your hands regularly
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Wear a face mask
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Keep your distance from anyone who isn’t part of your household or bubble, even if you wearing a facemask
We are working closely with partners across the region to discharge patients who are medically fit to leave hospital and we’d like to thank our partners for their continued hard work and support.
We want to reassure our communities that our hospitals are safe and it is extremely important that anyone with significant health concerns continues to come to us for help.
All inpatients are tested for Covid-19 on admission and those who test positive are cared for in separate wards to those who test negative. All patients are re-tested every seven days to ensure they remain Covid-19 negative.
If you have an appointment booked with us, please make sure that you attend so that you can continue with your treatment. Likewise, if you are suffering with a health emergency, please come to our A&E departments where we can provide you with the care that you need. If you have a health concern that’s not an emergency but you’re thinking about coming to A&E call NHS 111 first. Not only can NHS 111 provide advice but they can also book you an appointment with a GP, a hospital clinic or even to be seen in A&E at an agreed time at your convenience to minimise waiting times.
All our people at UHDB have worked incredibly hard over the last six months responding to the first wave, restoring services and are now facing a further challenge this winter. We are so proud of them all. The health and wellbeing of our people is extremely important for us and we continue to offer a breadth of wellbeing services including 24 hour access to counselling.
We support the messages from our local councils asking people not to mix with others unnecessarily and reduce social contact, where possible. These simple actions will help stop the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable, making sure there is space in our hospitals should you need it.
Find out more on Tier two restrictions (opens in new window) >
To read why Staffordshire has declared a state of emergency, you can read more on Staffordshire County Council website (opens in new window) >