On Sunday 5 February 2023: OUR NHS REMAINS IN CRISIS. COVID INFECTIONS, HOSPITALISATIONS & DEATHS REMAIN SERIOUS. THE TWINDEMIC OF COVID & FLU IS HERE.
The best you can do to protect yourself is GET VACCINATED FOR COVID & FLU. BUT YOU ONLY HAVE UNTIL 12 FEBRUARY TO GET FREE COVID AND FLU VACCINATIONS. BOOK ONLINE COVID JABS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ . GET FLU JABS AT PHARMACIES. The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisations (JCVI) advises Government to arrange again this year Spring COVID boosters for the most vulnerable people and another full Autumn programme like the 2022 one. There is a significant increase now in the sickness Norovirus particularly with the over 65s.
On 12 January 5,263 flu patients were in English hospitals and 349 in critical care, up 5% in a week. 111 service has near record demand; staff sickness absences are up a fifth & Covid absences are up a third. Record numbers of staff are leaving the NHS; SOME ENGLISH NURSES WILL STRIKE MONDAY 6 & TUESDAY 7 FEBRUARY INCLUDING AT COLCHESTER HOSPITAL; ON MONDAY 6 999 CALL HANDLERS, PARAMEDICS & OTHER AMBULANCE STAFF WILL ALSO STRIKE. ON THURSDAY 9 FEBRUARY ABOUT 4,200 NHS PHYSIOTHERAPISTS WILL STRIKE. ON FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY LONDON, YORKSHIRE, SOUTHWEST, NORTH EAST & NORTH WEST AMBULANCE STAFF WILL STRIKE. WHAT A TERRIBLE WEEK! Thousands of treatments have already been lost during recent nurses’ strikes and these strikes make workloads more challenging. 18% more people are attending A&E than last winter; 13,000 hospital beds are blocked by patients fit to discharge. 100,101 hospital beds are available (up from 90,621 last year). NHS crisis lines are failing to answer suicide calls.
On 19 January we asked Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board’s public meeting: What do you say to SWF’s people about today’s services and how we can help make those services work as well as possible? For example, what can we expect and should do if people seem likely to be having a cardiac arrest, a heart attack, a stroke, be involved in a major trauma accident or where someone has an open fracture or may have a broken pelvis? The answer: “The NHS is under extreme pressure which you have no doubt seen on the national news as well a hearing about local stories. There are number of key messages that we would like to convey to the public at this time.
Firstly, when faced with an accident or major emergency such as those described in your question it is imperative the public dial 999 and seek professional advice and support. Despite the pressures faced by the ambulance service they are still prioritising the most urgent cases and will advise patients accordingly.
However, as you say, there are many things the public can do to ease pressure on local services.
The Do Your Bit campaign toolkit Do Your Bit campaign toolkit – Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ics.nhs.uk), has previously been shared and remains accessible on the ICB website to guide the public in accessing services; for example by calling 111 for health advice; by using the pharmacist for help with basic health complaints; by stocking up appropriately on prescription and non-prescription medication; and by taking up the vaccinations on offer for flu and Covid in the eligible population.
We are aware that outpatient and elective services are also under pressure and suggest that where appropriate patients can access the referral support service rather than contacting their GPs when those appointments change or are cancelled.
Monday to Friday from 08.00 hours until 18.00 hours telephone the Referral Support Service at NHS Mid & South Essex on 0300 123 0771 (local call rate). The service is fully operational within Mid Essex but roll out across the rest of MSE was delayed due to the reorganisation and now re-submitting the options appraisal paper for model/funding agreement. If patient phones from other areas the team will do what they can to support them. They will not be able to view their referral but can access the Acute Care Portal for all patients if they have been seen in MSEFT and will provide general support and link with the Wellbeing Service as necessary.”
Our local health and welfare service providers are restricted by the funding, resources and targets they are given by central government. All our local medical professionals are terribly upset because they can’t look after us properly. They’re doing their very best. This situation was predicted last summer and not enough has been done nationally in advance.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests SWF had 228* Covid cases w/e 24 January. 2.2m people in the UK have long Covid; 80+ in the SWF & Dengie area. If you may have long-Covid see your GP for a diagnosis & referral to a local recovery service.
Cases of Scarlet Fever and Strep A remain high. Most people don’t get extremely sick but they can be a serious illness, particularly for young children. Both are treated with antibiotics; there isn’t a vaccine. Get the latest information from pharmacists and at: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2022/12/05/group-a-strep-what-you-need-to-know/ .
The Dashboard says in w/e 13 January December in England there were 849 (p/w 679) Deaths with Covid on death certificates and in w/e 30 January 4,621 (p/w 3,925) patients admitted to hospital. Hospitalisations and deaths lag behind infections. The *ONS data estimates 800,000 (1 in 70) people in England had Covid in w/e 24 January (p/w 933,333 = 1 in 60). Taking the ONS estimate and SWF’s population as 16,000 that means there were 228 (p/w 266) SWF residents with Covid in w/e 24 January.
To AVOID CATCHING & SPREADING Covid the Government says: TAKE EXTRA CARE, IF UNWELL AVOID VULNERABLE FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES & RELATIVES, GET VACCINATED; ventilate indoor meetings; meet outdoors; wear face coverings in crowded enclosed spaces. If you get Covid stay home if you can and avoid contact with other people. Most hospital deaths with Covid and flu on death certificates in Essex and England are reported to be of people not fully vaccinated. SWF Health & Social Care Group provides health & social care information and signposting to people, especially those at risk, isolating, housebound, and without local support. Information is on our website https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/ . Contact us on swfhealthsocial@outlook.com or leave a voicemail on 01245 322079 which is monitored daily.
SWF Health & Social Care Group 