Thread by @lewis_goodall

#COVID19 frontline in the NHS

spoken to an official in one of biggest Care Commissioning Groups (in a big English city). Govt says NHS will get "whatever it needs"but official says they're struggling to cope with demand right now- just one CCG but source says problems are common

Official told me in their city

-situation on the ground is "chaotic"
-Huge concern about small GPs (many are closing because staff are scared about coming in)
-Those GPs open are being "totally overrun"
-Staff haven't got correct training or equipment.

Lack of equipment in surgeries includes basics like face masks and sanitisers/gels

Bed occupancy is already at 90%+. Not much slack in the system already.

They say that though much has been made of the fact that the NHS is in a stronger position to other health services, because it is a more centralised system, that misunderstands the 2012 Health and Scocial Care Act

That act created "a fragmented mess" of a system.

Myriad of NHS providers, all have "organisational sovereignty". Source say that's inhibiting ability to fight the covid battle on the ground

Difficult to get competing trusts to work together and share resources

Worryingly too, source says even if greater centralisation were imposed "I just don't have the staff to make it work."

A Dept of Health spokesperson said: “We are taking every reasonable step to confront coronavirus, backed by a world-renowned team of clinicians, public health experts and scientists working round the clock to keep this country safe.”