Warning that hospitals could be stretched beyond capacity as they brace for coronavirus and flu this winter
People are being urged to follow social distancing rules as hospitals warn they could be stretched beyond capacity this winter, with the combination of coronavirus, seasonal flu and norovirus.
Sandwell's NHS Trust - which runs Sandwell General Hospital, in West Bromwich - is currently working on plans to safeguard its frontline staff from seasonal flu in anticipation of a rise in patient numbers this winter.
A report in Sandwell's board meeting papers from June said: "There is a risk that concurrent Covid-19 and severe seasonal winter flu drives patient demand above and workforce supply below planned scenarios leading to extended waits for care or other harms."
In response, Toby Lewis, the trust's chief executive, said: "There is a risk that both Covid-19 and seasonal flu will mean a higher number of patients need hospital admission for their care and treatment so we are preparing for that.
"Every year our trust-wide flu campaign successfully vaccinates at least 80 per cent of frontline staff. We are currently reviewing the campaign to understand how best to increase that vaccination rate and ensure herd immunity this coming winter."
Other Black Country NHS Trusts have echoed Sandwell's warning.
Ned Hobbs, chief operating officer at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, said: "Colleagues at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust are right to highlight the potential risk of a second surge in patients requiring hospital admission for Covid-19, seasonal influenza and norovirus all coinciding over the autumn and winter period.
"For this reason, it’s incredibly important that people continue to adhere to the Government’s social distancing instructions.
"Walsall Healthcare, like other trusts, is carefully preparing contingency plans to ensure that we can safely look after patients who need our care, including in the eventuality of increased demand this winter."
Diane Wake, chief executive of Dudley NHS Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, said: "We remain under national direction for Covid-19 and have produced local guidelines and policy, in line with national guidance, for response to any further outbreaks."
Paul Bytheway, chief operating office at the NHS trust which runs Stafford Hospital, said: "We have now started to gradually bring back some services, but only where that can be done safely and limits the transmission of coronavirus, respects social distancing and won’t place too big a demand on resources such as essential medication and personal protective equipment."
