Greater Manchester has seen a reduction in Covid hospital admissions, Covid NHS staff absences and the spread of the infection within hospitals, but the high case rates are still 'putting pressure on already stretched NHS services', say Greater Manchester health chiefs. Meanwhile, the system is trying to catch up with the huge backlog of operations which have been delayed during the peak of the pandemic.
Last month, nearly 1,000 patients with Covid-19 were being treated on Greater Manchester hospital wards, while the region's emergency departments 'struggled to assess' the high numbers of patients arriving with serious conditions. There were 971 beds occupied by patients with a confirmed case of Covid across seven NHS hospital trusts serving Greater Manchester as of April 5, according to NHS figures. That was up from 827 the previous week and 638 seven days before that, although it was still below the 1,289 recorded on January 11, around the time numbers peaked nationally.
Now those figures have fallen, with 628 beds overall currently occupied by Covid patients as of Friday (May 6). There are 21 Covid patients in intensive care and high dependency unit beds, according to the latest figures provided by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
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Around the same time last month, the number of Covid-related staff absences across all seven trusts hit 1,987 on April 3, up from 1,853 a week earlier and 1,443 a fortnight previously. And while 'Covid staff absences have decreased during the past month', high virus rates in Greater Manchester communities and the numbers in hospital with the disease, are applying pressure on an 'already stretched' system.
Coronavirus infection rates have plummeted across Greater Manchester, with all areas experiencing week-on-week decreases of at least 30 per cent. However, public health leaders, i ncluding Professor Kate Ardern, have warned that figures will be skewed as free mass testing is no longer in use, therefore fewer people who have the virus will be getting and reporting positive tests. There is still believed to be high Covid levels in Greater Manchester communities, say the medical leads for the region.
Dr Chris Brookes and Professor Jane Eddleston, joint interim Greater Manchester medical executive leads for acute care, said: “While we have continued to see reductions in hospital admissions, staff absences and nosocomial infections in recent weeks, there are still high rates of Covid-19 in our communities and the number of people in hospital with the virus continues to put pressure on already stretched NHS services.
“The NHS here in Greater Manchester continues to work with partners in the health and care system to focus on elective recovery with a plan that is ambitious, but appropriate given the impact on patients experiencing long delays caused by Covid-19.
“Health and care workers are applying the same determination they displayed throughout the pandemic to address backlogs in routine care and reduce long waits. We once again thank people for their patience and understanding while we do everything in our power to ensure they get the treatment they need.”
A total of 373 patients were admitted to Greater Manchester NHS hospitals with Covid-19 in the week ending on May 1. That is 49 fewer than the week before, a fall of 15 percent. In the week ending May 1, a total of 43 people died within 28 days of a positive Covid test across Greater Manchester, which is 15 fewer than the week before. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 989,058 confirmed coronavirus cases in Greater Manchester. There has been a total of 9,237 deaths.
The update comes as NHS sources have told the Manchester Evening News that hospitals across the region have been struggling over the multiple Bank Holidays, with staffing shorter while the volume of patients in hospital for delayed operation and those turning up at A&E remain high.
Both general and acute bed occupancy is high, with 85 per cent of all beds in Greater Manchester taken. Health leaders have said that anything over 85 per cent occupancy is ‘extremely uncomfortable’ for the system.
Of the approximate 5,000 general and acute beds, 4,820 are full with 3,883 non-Covid patients, 577 Covid patients, and 360 for planned operations.
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