By UK back in the ‘eye of the storm’ according to NHS boss
According to the head of the NHS, the country is now “back in the eye of the storm”, with the number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in England’s hospitals overtaking the peak back in April 2020.
Figures from NHS England have revealed that there were 20,426 patients being treated in hospitals as of 8am on Monday, compared with the 18,974 patients recorded on the 12th of April.
During a visit to an NHS vaccination centre, the chief executive of the NHS, Sir Simon Stevens, praised staff, but added:
“Many of us have lost family, friends, colleagues and – at a time of year when we would normally be celebrating – a lot of people are understandably feeling anxious, frustrated and tired”.
Sir Simon added:
“We think that by late spring, with vaccine supplies continuing to come on stream we will have been able to offer all vulnerable people across this country COVID vaccination”.
His comments come on the day that patients who received their first vaccinations three weeks ago, will now be receiving their booster jab.
Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, president of the Doctors’ Association UK, said in a widely shared Twitter thread that she and her colleagues are “at breaking point”.
The senior intensive care registrar wrote:
“Today we learnt that we have more patients with COVID in hospital than ever before in England”.
“Please believe us”.
“We are incredibly thin on the ground”.
“NHS staff have not been prioritised for the vaccine and are going off sick in droves with the new strain”.
“When staff have spoken up on Twitter they have been told this is all a hoax. It’s not”.
“Try holding an iPad for a patient to say goodbye to their family, or having to ventilate a colleague”.
“This is real and happening right now. Staff are broken and need support now more than ever”.
It comes as London’s ambulance service described Boxing Day as one of its busiest days ever, as warnings of 6-hour-long waits arise as ambulances backed-up and hospitals potentially turning to tents as additional treating spaces.
Consultant emergency physician, Adrian Boyle, reportedly told Sky News:
“You feel terrible and a sense of helplessness when you can’t offload an ambulance because your emergency department is full”.
“It creates this sense you are failing your patients just because there’s a sheer lack of space to look after people”.
