State of local NHS is “extremely worrying” warns Nottinghamshire GP

The incident was declared for the entire Nottinghamshire NHS at the end of September, meaning hospitals were unable to cope with the rising numbers of patients coming through their emergency departments.

The incident was stood down on October 7, after a reduction in hospital bed admissions and an increase in discharge levels.

Dr Irfan Malik, a county GP, said: “It’s unfortunate we had this critical incident declared towards the end of September. It’s extremely worrying it came so early.

“I wasn’t expecting it this soon, it is a surprise it came so early in the autumn.

“I am really worried about winter because the last few years the NHS crisis has got worse and I think this winter will be worse than the last few we’ve had.”

The NHS Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, which co-ordinates healthcare resources across all NHS hospitals and services, said it continues to see high numbers of patients in emergency departments.

In the last week, local hospital trusts and East Midlands Ambulance Service leaders have spoken out about the pressure the local NHS is under.

Rachel Eddie, chief operating officer at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Mansfield Community, Sutton’s King’s Mill and Newark hospitals, said her trust had 138 patients who were medically fit for discharge at its worst point in this period.

Ms Eddie said extra medical and nursing staff had been put in place as well as extra porters and patient transfer teams to create extra bed space.

Dr Malik said: “There is the ongoing threat of Covid and we are going to get more viruses like influenza as well.

“All aspects of the NHS are under huge pressure now, so I am worried about how the system will cope with that demand over winter.”

He said the system needs more assistance from the Government.

Dr Malik said: “When there is a critical incident and operations cancelled, that just means increased people on a longer waiting list.”

Amanda Sullivan, NHS Nottinghamshire chief executive said there are ‘robust plans’ heading into winter.

She said: “The system is putting a number of extra measures in place to help alleviate some of the expected pressures.

“These include setting up virtual wards, to support patients who would otherwise be in hospital, to receive the care, monitoring and support they need in the place they call home.

“This helps prevent avoidable admissions and supports early discharge out of hospital. We are also working with colleagues to ensure they are working with patients’ families to make them aware of the benefits of recovering at home once they are well enough to leave hospital.”

She said even though the critical incident has ended, patients are advised to contact 111 if they are unsure where to go.

Last month, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey set out the government’s plan for patients, outlining that the NHS will open up the equivalent of 7,000 beds so ‘every hospital has space to see and treat patients more quickly’.

The Department for Health and Social Care said it was running a national recruitment campaign to encourage more people to join social care.