Hospitals under pressure as County Durham Covid rates rise

With fears of a new coronavirus wave on the horizon, and even higher patient numbers over winter, health chiefs have now warned hardworking NHS staff are facing unacceptable levels of abuse from desperate patients.

While GP surgeries and hospitals try to cope with the backlog of care needed, accident and emergency services have become jammed with ambulances queuing for hours to get medical attention for patients.

Kerry Dawson, clinical general manager for emergency care at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said: “All our services are currently under huge pressure.

“We are seeing unprecedented attendances at our emergency departments in Durham and Darlington, increasing paediatric cases and on-going Covid-19 patients requiring care."

Mary Dawson, clinical general manager for emergency care at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

“Our staff are doing their very best to make sure everyone can get the care they require as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately, we are also seeing increasing incidences of violence and aggression towards our staff and this will not be tolerated.”

In County Durham and Darlington hospitals, there are currently 70 people being treated for Covid-19 with five in intensive care requiring a mechanical ventilator.

In the last week, 15 people have died after testing positive for the disease.

Yesterday, a further 305 people had a confirmed positive test result in the county an increase of 2.3 per cent compared to the previous seven days.

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Amanda Healy, Durham County Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “It is concerning to see the rise in coronavirus cases, particularly at a time when there are already considerable pressures on the NHS.

“We must remember that coronavirus is still with us. It is vital that we continue to apply simple control measures to help protect ourselves and our loved ones.

“Remembering to follow Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air can help to stop the spread of coronavirus and other seasonal illnesses. We would also remind people of the importance of having both doses of the Covid vaccine, as well as the booster and flu jabs for those who are eligible.

“We would strongly encourage people to take these simple and effective steps now as they could make a big difference in reducing the spread of the virus over the winter period.”

Durham City MP May Foy

Durham City MP Mary Foy accused the Government of ‘burying its head in the sand’ by ignoring health experts urging it to move to Plan B contingency measures designed to stem the spread of the disease.

She said: “It is hugely concerning that we are now approaching the colder months with the NHS facing a series of pressures.

“We are now seeing Covid case numbers similar to March, when the country was in lockdown, huge numbers of people struggling to see their GPs and queuing for emergency treatment at hospitals, and the vaccine programme beginning to stutter, with the slow rollout of booster jabs and the near non-existent rollout of vaccines in 12 to 15 year olds.

“Once again, the Government is choosing to bury its head in the sand, and is ignoring the experts demanding that we now move to Plan B.

“We know the impact that acting too late has, as we have seen this with the previous lockdowns, but unbelievably we are again in the position where the Government simply wishes to deny the reality on the ground.”

“Winter is always a hugely challenging time for the NHS anyway, and to be in the position we are in October, before the real surge happens is troubling.

“While I have no doubt that NHS staff are doing their absolute best to help everyone they can, we need to recognise that the perfect storm we are facing right now is one entirely of the Government's making.”

Easington MP Graham Morris

Easington MP Grahame Morris said the current health crisis is more to do underfunding the NHS over the last decade and Tory austerity cuts, rather than Covid alone.

He said: “Those calling on the Government to impose Plan B recognise the complete failure of leadership that has caused this crisis.

“The Prime Minister dismissed Covid, his comments to ‘let the bodies pile high’ showed his level of care for the country’s health and wellbeing.

“Why is the UK unique in Europe, why have 140,000 people lost their lives to covid, why do cases continue to rise at a time when other nations are tackling covid and getting their economies back up and running.

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“I will give the Government the benefit of the doubt, their failure is not malicious, but their thoughtless incompetence now and over the last decade has created a health and social care crisis beyond any we have seen elsewhere across Europe.

“We have a new Health Secretary but the same failures, and until there is real and honest leadership in our politics, the UK will continue to suffer crisis after crisis as we have experienced in recent months.”

The Northern Echo also approached Labour MP for North Durham Kevan Jones for comment, along with Conservative MPs Dehenna Davison, Paul Howell and Peter Gibson, who represent Bishop Auckland, Sedgefield and Darlington.

No response was received from them, but Conservative MP for North-West Durham Richard Holden did respond.

North-West Durham MP Richard Holden

He said: “It’s vitally important that our NHS gets the increased funding support to help deal with the backlog of cases during the pandemic.

“That’s why I voted for extra money for our NHS to deal with this issue via necessary extra taxation. Sadly, every Labour MP voted against more resources for our NHS at this difficult time.

“It’s clear to me that our NHS can’t afford Labour’s political games and needs the extra support Conservatives are delivering.”

The Department for Health and Social Care has been contacted for a comment.

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