Coronavirus: 3 Covid-19 deaths reported at Southern Health NHS Foundation trust

Southern Health Foundation NHS Trust has seen deaths on April 5 and 6, and on March 26 at Lymington New Forest Hospital.

The trust has 200 sites and provides specialist mental health care, community care, and runs a learning disability service in Hampshire.

Latest figures were published by NHS England on April 8, confirming this month's deaths and the one on March 26.

Dr Karl Marlowe, chief medical officer at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘Sadly we can confirm that three elderly patients who were being cared for at Lymington New Forest Hospital and had Covid-19, have died.

‘We have informed the families of the patients and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.’

It comes as the trust’s chief executive, Dr Nick Broughton, has postponed his May departure to a health trust in Oxford due to the pandemic.

Dr Broughton will now stay on until June.

‘We all need to act differently and change our plans in order to respond most effectively to the current crisis,’ he said.

‘This arrangement is clearly the right thing to do as it will enable a smoother transition and additional stability at a very challenging time for our staff.’

Lynne Hunt, chair of Southern Health, said: ‘Together with our colleagues at Oxford Health, we believe it is in the best interests of our staff, patients and communities for Nick and the outgoing chief executive of Oxford Health, Stuart Bell, to postpone their departures at this pivotal time for the NHS.

‘We thank Nick and Stuart for their flexibility and commitment at this time.’

Southern is still in the process of appointing a new chief executive.