Portsmouth residents 'must stay at home' to help our healthcare heroes at Queen Alexandra Hospital

As of Tuesday this week, 503 people were receiving treatment for Covid-19 at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, with a total of 1,149 across the whole of Hampshire.

On December 12 there were just 183 Covid patients at QA.

About half of all general and acute beds are occupied by Covid patients, with 40 people on beds with mechanical ventilation.

Chief executive Mark Cubbon said staff were working in ‘difficult circumstances’. He said: ‘The pressure we are facing feels relentless, but we all have a role to play in reducing the spread of Covid-19 and reducing the rate of infection by following the guidelines to stay at home, avoid unnecessary travel and contact with others, and wear a mask.

‘We remain open for you when you need us, but need your help to do that.’

He urged people to attend appointments as normal until told otherwise, and contact NHS 111 for advice.

Pressure is also having an effect on non-Covid patients.

QA is seeing the second worst ambulance handover delays in England, with 254 patients waiting more than 60 minutes to be transferred from to A&E staff in the week to January 10.

NHS England data released yesterday shows 36,499 non-Covid patients were waiting for treatment at the trust running QA as of the end of November. In all 4.46m people are waiting in England.

The Royal College of Surgeons said the virus is having a ‘calamitous impact’.

Figures show 4,363 people were waiting for general surgery at QA.

Helen Atkinson, director of public health at the city council, said vaccines give ‘an end in sight’ but people must not become complacent.

She said: ‘With the new strain of the virus that transmits more easily, and one in three people with the virus not showing any symptoms, it’s more crucial now than ever to follow the guidance. Especially with the cold weather also putting the NHS under pressure.

‘The single most important action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives is to stay at home, it really is that simple. Unless it’s for one of the few essential reasons that you can leave home for, we should all be staying indoors with those that we live with, or are in a support bubble with if you’re a single adult household.

‘Act like you’ve got it to avoid the spread and if you do leave home for essential reasons then remember; hands, face, space. We will get through this but only if we all follow the guidance.’

Chairman of Healthwatch Portsmouth, Roger Batterbury, said: ‘The pressure is on everyone right now, from ambulance crews to A&E staff, everyone is struggling.

‘The most important thing people can do is stay at home and follow the rules. Let’s take the pressure off the NHS, because things are so intense.’

He said friends working at QA look ‘exhausted’ due to the relentless workload.​​​​​​​

‘No matter how tired they are, their dedication is relentless,’ he said.

‘They are all heroes, and we should do everything we can for them.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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