The following is a note from an intensive care consultant about a visit they made this week to a district general hospital in the home counties to transfer a patient to a larger hospital with more capacity further away from London.
Haemorrhaging of the nation’s
health service has now started
A drowning person closes off blood oxygen supplies to their extremities in a bid to survive. So it is with health systems struggling to cope
9 January 2021 • 6:06pm
A nurse wearing PPE works on a patient in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) in St George s Hospital in Tooting, south-west London
Credit: PA
The NHS will not all of a sudden topple over, says a seasoned observer. It’s not what happens to overstretched health systems, not least a national service which can, for a time at least, transfer weight from one limb to another. Much more likely is that it will gradually “bleed out” over a period of a month or more if large parts become overwhelmed.
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Shirley Jones, Head of Midwifery at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this award. It’s great to be recognised, as the collaborative efforts and dedication of our team has led to us successfully delivering the Maternity Direct app. “To be chosen among the other incredible nominees is a wonderful achievement. This nomination has been a tremendous boost both to our team and our partners, Acadian and The Maternity Voices Partnership. It’s rewarding to see the positive impact that the app has had on patients since its launch just over a year ago.”