Hartlepool hospital trust now treating three times as many Covid patients than height of first wave

At the height of the first outbreak last spring, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust cared for 78 coronavirus patients at any one time.

But as of this week that figure had leaped to 202 people with 17 new admissions on Tuesday, January 19.

The trust’s medical director Dr Deepak Dwarakanath described the current wave as ‘a different world’ and urged people to ask themselves if leaving home is worth risking their life.

Respiratory wards treating Covid patients at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockon have also had to be significantly increased from two normally to six or seven.

And the trust is treating 26 intensive care patients compared to its normal capacity for 17 leading to non-urgent surgery being suspended and some operating theatres and recovery rooms being adapted to care for Covid patients.

Dr Dwarakanath, who is also the trust’s deputy chief executive, told the Mail: “Basically, we’ve got just under triple the number of patients at present compared to wave one.

"Gradually, more and more wards have become Covid wards taking over wards we normally have for surgical and orthopaedic patients.”

He said the new faster-spreading variant of the virus is also resulting in more young patients being admitted to hospital.

Dr Dwarakanath said: "People feel it’s just an old person’s disease. It isn’t.

“We’re seeing more younger people requiring intensive care therapy, people 30 and 40 years old who are desperately ill with Covid.

"Sadly we’ve seen in our trust over 400 people die in wave one and two. That’s a lot of people.

"Nationally it has passed 90,000 which is really sad.”

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Dr Dwarakanath said staff are working “pretty much flat out” to cope with the volume of patients.

“It’s really, really tough,” he said. “Our team of 5,500 people across our two sites are all focused on doing their best for patients.

"It’s a huge strain. We’re supporting them in every possible way.”

Despite the pressure of Covid, the trust has been at the forefront of national trials for new recovery treatments with its clinicians and over 600 patients volunteering to be among the first in the country to receive them.

Dr Dwarakanath said the treatments were having a positive impact on patients’ survival, and length of stay in hospital.

He stressed the importance of people sticking to the government advice on hand washing, social distancing and staying at home as much as possible.

He said: "Really think before you go out ‘is this journey absolutely necessary?’ Is the purpose of leaving your house worth getting Covid, worth risking your own life or members of your family?

"This disease is killing a lot of people and not just old, frail people.”

Dr Dwarakanath also urged people to take up the vaccine as soon as they are offered it.

"Without all of us taking it we will never rid ourselves of this disease,” he said.

People can help reduce pressure on the system also by not attending A&E unless absolutely necessary.

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