There has been much reflection about our response to Covid nationally in the media this week as we approach the anniversary of the first infected patient in the UK.
It has been a long and difficult year for everyone and our hearts go out to those families that have lost loved ones to this cruel virus. Pennine Lancashire has been a hotspot for transmission and hospital admission right from the start and we continue to top league tables across the North West and the UK as a whole.
Staff are tired and have worked as part of the response for a very long time. They have lost much-loved colleagues at the Trust as well as people in their own lives too and we mustn’t forget the extraordinary emotional toll they are bearing each day looking after patients in their last moments, as well as providing support to their families. These experiences will take some considerable time to comes to terms with and may never fully heal.
I want to take this moment to pay tribute to the whole team for their hard work and dedication. This pandemic isn’t over but as we look back over the last year it does feel as though we can also look forward with hope that this will end.
My thanks goes out to everyone equally, not just those front line teams in the emergency department or in critical care but everyone in every department who has contributed to a true and sustained response and just the most exhausting experience. The team has and continues to demonstrate great courage and spirit. I could not be more proud to be part of it.
In looking to the future we are making plans to recover and restore when the time is right. The biggest priority will be to support staff to take some time away from work, spend time with family and simply rest.
I’m keen to understand what we have learned, celebrated the innovation and good practice established and capture ideas for the future as part of our healing process. We’ll be listening to staff and encouraging them to be part of the conversation. I believe the challenge is not just to restore the Trust but to take the moment as an opportunity to work differently. If we are to successfully catch up on the months of routine care and treatment this will be paramount.
There is some positive news to bolster our energy levels and hopes. The total number of inpatients with Covid continues to stabilise at around 300 and we are now seeing a drop in the number of people infected in communities. We do still have a high number of inpatients who are very poorly indeed but any signs at all that Covid is declining should be welcomed.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support us with well wishes and, in particular, by following the rules. Staying at home, wearing a face mask when you do go out, maintaining social distancing and observing strict hand hygiene at all times are making a difference and will help us to get on top of this horrific disease.
We continue to closely manage our resources each day and have postponed some elective surgery to release staff to wards where they are most needed. I will apologise again for the disappointment and stress this causes but offer my personal guarantee that we are tracking patients very closely day to day and if we can get you in for your treatment, we will.
This week we experienced a significant further challenge on top of everything else at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, when an issue in the local electricity grid caused our own mains network to malfunction. I am both proud and pleased to report how the entire team pulled together in response to this incident, alongside everything else they were dealing with. Patient safety and their effective care remained a priority for everyone and we have had fabulous feedback about how well staff coped. Thank you to everyone involved in rectifying this issue so quickly and effectively, it was inspiring to see.
The team is also working hard to prevent outbreaks of Covid in hospital and to identify staff or patients who have the virus before they’re able to infect someone else. I know how important this is and I am pleased we are controlling this risk through regular testing, including staff who are showing no symptoms at all.
As testament to our overall approach, a team of regional NHS colleagues visited last week and provided some very positive feedback about infection prevention activity. In fact, they identified and took some good practice away to share across the NHS. This is a fantastic achievement for all the staff – who continue to fight this virus on every front possible. I’m not surprised their determination and tenacity is being used to inspire others.
Running alongside this, the hospital hub has now vaccinated well over 10,000 people and continues to support the mass vaccination centre at Blackburn Cathedral to administer thousands more each week. I truly believe this is our way out of this pandemic and I am energised by the efficient way we are calling people for their jab. When you get your letter please come forward and help us start to emerge from the hold this virus has on our lives.
Please do let me know any feedback you have about the blog, what you would like to hear about or any questions you have. It is all welcome and appreciated.
Take care,
Kevin.