Covid-19 is once more piling pressure on an already strained NHS, according to Greater Manchester health chiefs. Staff absences as a result of coronavirus are seeing shortages in hospitals, GP surgeries, and community care.
Meanwhile, inpatient beds are scarce as some 17 per cent of all beds in Greater Manchester are being taken up by Covid positive patients, according to the incoming Greater Manchester NHS boss, Sir Richard Leese. That figure translates to around 1,000 of all general, acute and adult critical care beds in the region.
There has been an increase in the number of Covid cases of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, heard Manchester City Council's health scrutiny committee today (July 20). The renewed prevalence of the virus has led to rises in hospitalised cases across the region.
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In the week ending on July 10 alone, a total of 786 patients were admitted to Greater Manchester NHS hospitals with Covid-19. That is 224 more than the week before, a rise of 40 per cent, according to the latest figures issued by the UK Health Security Agency.
Around 17 per cent of all hospital beds in the region are filled with Covid positive people, Sir Richard Leese told the committee this morning. That's roughly 1,000 of Manchester's approximately 5,600 beds, the Manchester Evening News estimates.
David Regan, Manchester City Council's Director of Public Health, said that NHS staff absences were a 'significant challenge prior to the heatwave'. The heatwave only added to the strain on the wider NHS system as heat-related illnesses and injuries have dropped on hospitals and ambulances in recent days.
In community health services, there are 'huge pressures with staff absences' relating to Covid-19 as those testing positive can 'in no circumstances' work with patients. Bernie Enright, Executive Director of Adult Social Services, said staff absence has been at around '10 to 11 per cent over the last few weeks'.
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