Thread by @rupert_pearse

COVID sitrep: On call this weekend and the pandemic grumbles on. Where I work in east London we are seeing lots of unvaccinated patients, many needing intensive care. Locally and nationally, hospital patient numbers are rising but slowly. The NHS COVID workload remains high. 1/10

The daily number of COVID infections continues to trend steadily upwards, but the number of patients admitted to hospital is rising more slowly. 2/10

The NHS COVID workload is best reflected in the number of patients in hospital which is also rising slowly. Numbers are smaller than the winter peak that caused such huge disruption. In this wave we are dealing with COVID but we’re trying to run all other services as normal. 3/10

At a national level, the number of COVID patients in Intensive Care is holding steady, with just over 850 patients. This seems like good news because it is much lower than the winter peak but this is around a fifth of the national ICU capacity. 4/10

In terms of workload Northern Ireland is currently the worst affected area when we factor in NHS capacity such as ICU beds. Regional hotspots around the UK are putting local NHS services under strain while we try to deliver routine care and a COVID response at the same time. 5/10

The current COVID situation in itself, is manageable, but the NHS challenge is not just COVID. We are trying to clear a backlog of 2.5 million surgeries, respond to unprecedented demands on Emergency Depts, keep hospitals COVID-safe, deal with significant staff shortages….. 6/10

…..handle an epidemic of childhood infections like RSV, all while we are using 10% of hospital beds to treat COVID patients (20% of ICU beds) and have sacrificed another 10% of hospital beds to maintain infection control rules. 7/10

Another worry this week: Supply chain failures have led to a serious shortage in the tubes we use to collect samples for blood tests. We must reduce the number of blood tests to one fifth of usual. Doctors must decide which patients need tests most. 8/10
independent.co.uk/news/health/nh…

These challenges are making life very difficult in the NHS right now. Our healthcare isn’t as available or reliable as normal. Our individual actions are what keep COVID under control, so please get vaccinated and keep up the good work with #HandsFaceSpace & fresh air. 9/10

Meanwhile, the @WHO map for this week: 650,000 new COVID infections per *day*. The UK remains vulnerable as COVID surges back and forth between countries. Global vaccination campaigns are vital for everyone, everywhere. Meanwhile, in the NHS, we have a long winter ahead. 💙 10/10