Freeing up hospital beds 'crucial' in fight against coronavirus
Freeing up hospital beds by getting patients who don't need to be there out will be crucial to managing the coronavirus crisis, an NHS trust boss has said.
Toby Lewis, who heads up the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said there would be an increased focus on patients who had been at its Sandwell and City hospitals for more than three weeks, and the reasons why they were still there.
Having as many beds available as possible will be crucial to helping hospitals cope during the pandemic. All non-urgent elective operations have already been cancelled until June.
A temporary Nightingale Hospital will be opening at Birmingham's NEC to try and ease the pressure on West Midlands units.
The region has seen the most coronavirus cases in the country, after London.
Trust chief executive Mr Lewis said the virus was the "absolute focus" of medical bosses.
He said in a new report to board members: "Covid-19 has been the absolute focus of the executive since we last met.
"It is both an issue for those affected and a fear for those not infected. The immediate agreed action to address both groups is to continue to overwhelmingly focus on our safety plan basics of care data."
He added: "Tackling long lengths of stay is crucial to battling the surge effects of Covid-19. We have around 130 beds at any given time occupied by patients beyond 21 days."
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street told the Express & Star this week that conversations he has had with hospital bosses suggest most are coping with the outbreak at the current time.
He added the unprecedented action to turn the NEC into a makeshift hospital would help in the fight against coronavirus.
