A glimpse of life on the frontline at Sutton's King's Mill Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

King’s Mill Hospital is struggling with the current impact of COVID-19 on its wards and staff have spoken about what it is like working on the very frontline of the pandemic.

Many will have seen the posts around the pandemic which have been circulating online – that it is nothing but the flu, that hospitals are actually empty, or that it is only the old or very sick who have to worry about the illness, but staff at the hospital say that is ‘just not the case at all’.

The hospital’s medical director, David Selwyn, explained the hospital is at a ‘critical point’ and definitely not empty, as some have suggested.

He said: “This second wave has been a real challenge – we currently have around 150 patients being treated for coronavirus in the hospital, and it is only just beginning to drop.

"Just two weeks ago we had 220 patients being treated – that is 40 per cent of our beds – and we were at a critical point.

"During the first wave, we cancelled many of the hospital’s services so we could focus on patients battling COVID-19 – this time we are very much open for business.

"Cancer treatment is going ahead, urgent surgeries are taking place – we are working at approximately 85 per cent of our normal operational capacity now."

He also spoke of the ‘incredible’ attitude of the staff.

He added: “The staff are absolutely incredible – they are working harder than ever and ensuring that patient care does not suffer.

"What they have been through and the pressure they have been under is unfathomable, and every single day I am in awe at their resilience.

"They cannot yet see light at the end of the tunnel, but they are still pulling together to fight for every patient.”

He also clarified that they are seeing an alarming number of younger patients being admitted to the hospital.

"We don’t know if that is down to different variants, or if people are mixing more, but we are seeing 40 and 50-year-olds in critical care now,” he added.

"That's really scary.”

Chief nurse Julie Hogg said they are seeing an increase of abuse directed at staff by those seeking medical treatment, a refusal to wear masks or to respect social-distancing.

“The staff are very traumatised – they are seeing things they have never seen before, especially with the volume of death they are dealing with,” she said.

"We need the public to recognise the pressures our staff are under, and please, just leave your beliefs at the door.

“Wear your masks, wash your hands, and keep your distance.”

The hospital has lost more than 450 patients to coronavirus since March 2020, and staff are getting increasingly frustrated that there is constant criticism aimed at the hospital and accusations that they are manipulating death figures for financial gain.

Mr Selwyn said: “I would just like to clarify; the hospital does not get paid any financial remuneration for registering a death as coronavirus.

"That is nonsense – we have three situations when coronavirus would be included on a death certificate; where coronavirus is the direct cause of death, where medical experts believe coronavirus contributed to the death, or where a swab comes back as positive after the person has passed away.

"We understand the confusion with the government’s figures, however as a hospital, we do not put coronavirus on a death certificate unless it satisfies either of those three conditions.”

Staff were also keen to explain the key differences between COVID-19 and the flu.

Doctor Vishal Dhokia has been a critical care unit consultant at King’s Mill for three years and says that the CCU has never experienced this level of sustained pressure.

He explained the key differences to those who claim it is ‘just the flu’.

"They are two very different illnesses,” Dr Dhokia said.

“COVID-19 patients can become very ill, very quickly, and require a much higher intensity of patient care.

"For example – COVID patients require a procedure called ‘proning’ where the patient is rolled onto their front, twice in 24 hours to help them breathe.

"Each time takes at least seven members of staff to ensure they turn safely, avoiding the many wires and machines they are hooked up to.”

Patients also suffer with something called ‘happy hypoxia’ where they can feel much more well than they should, meaning they are often resistant to treatment.

Dr Dhokia added: “When we look at their oxygen levels, they should be really struggling, however they can be chatting away to us and be confused as to why they need such intensive treatment.

"Shortly after they will crash and be critical – that is one of the hardest things for patients and staff alike; they can seem okay and then suddenly be fighting for their life.”

As well as the usual problems with breathing that flu sufferers experience, COVID-19 causes ‘sticky blood’ which causes clots, and also causes multi-organ failure in a very short time.

Dr Dhokia added: “Flu patients behave very differently – flu is predictable and COVID-19 is not.

"Some of the lung damage of COVID-19 patients is the worst I have ever seen.

"Also the flu impacts a much smaller age range of patients – we have patients in their thirties who are shocked with how unwell they become.

"People also need to realise that we test for both viruses – the flu is still around, but social-distancing has reduced numbers this year – that’s one small positive to come from this.”

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