The number of NHS workers absent because of Covid at London’s busiest hospital trust has more than tripled in a week, official figures show as hospitals draw up battle plans to cope with depleted workforce numbers.
Barts Health Trust reported that 338 of its employees were absent from work due to either the virus being spread or they are still in isolation. That’s a difference of 91 on Sunday.
A similar trend was seen across the capital as a whole, where Covid-related absences jumped from 1,540 to 3,874 over the same time-frame. This means that the virus is now responsible for around 43% of NHS absences daily in London, compared with just 18% before Omicron spiralled out.
This comes just as Prime Minister sets to hold crucial talks today about whether England should be following the lead of other UK countries and introducing extra Covid curbs before the new year.
Discussions around additional measures center on whether the health system can handle an anticipated spike in patients infected like those seen in London and rising staff absenteeism.
In the wake of concerns that rapid growth of the variant might deplete hospitals, and make it impossible for them to perform routine procedures without their consent, the NHS has already had to eliminate the requirement to allow staff to live together with self-isolating individuals.
Health chiefs are being instructed by Omicron to plan for temporary hospitalization in car parks. This will allow them to support army medics as well redeploy personnel.
Experts warn that London’s experience with Omicron, Britain’s epicentre of the variant, will be replicated across the country in the coming weeks. In the capital, hospitalization rates are hovering at around 400 per day. That figure is thought to be the threshold for new restrictions.
NHS England data showed that the number of staff who have been absent in London because of Covid has increased from 1,100 up to 3,874 between January 19 and December 19. This means that the virus is now responsible for around 43% of NHS London daily absences, compared with just 18% before Omicron spiralled outof control.
The NHS England data shows that 338 Barts Health trust hospital workers were sick or isolated due to Covid, as compared to the 83 who had been there two weeks before. Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust had the highest Covid staff absence numbers in London, with 515 workers at home on December 19, compared to 179 two weeks earlier on December 5 (188 per cent increase). King’s College Hospital trust saw 505 Covid-related absences on December 19, followed by Imperial College Healthcare trust (365), Great Ormond Street Hospital trust (351) and St George’s University Hospital trust (206)
Ministers, according to some reports are monitoring hospitalisation numbers. A two-week lockdown is being imposed on those who exceed 400 daily.
The most current statistics from NHS England show that staff absences due to Covid in London have increased by 252 percent compared to last week’s data. However, the increase nationwide was only 68%.
Even worse, staff are missing more work in some London trusts that have been hardest hit.
The week ended December 19th saw 338 Barts Health trust workers become ill from Covid, according to NHS England data. This compares to the 91 that week, which marks a fourfold increase.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust had the highest Covid staff absence numbers in London, with 515 workers at home on December 19, compared to 179 two weeks earlier on December 5 (188 per cent increase).
King’s College Hospital trust saw 505 Covid-related absences on December 19, followed by Imperial College Healthcare trust (365), Great Ormond Street Hospital trust (351) and St George’s University Hospital trust (206).
These figures don’t break down how many people are affected by Covid or how many are not because they have Covid.
This is despite doctors and nurses no longer being required to be away from the wards for 10 consecutive days for anyone with the virus.
The rules were different from those issued in August for the remainder of the country. This meant double-jabbed persons did not have the need to self-quarantine when someone in their home contracted the disease. Officials sought to safeguard vulnerable hospitalized patients.
The household rule was quietly repealed after the NHS sent updated guidance to chiefs on December 16.
NHS employees should instead return to work as soon as they receive a positive PCR test, provided they have received two vaccines. The workers must continue to take daily lateral flows before they return for work.
However, NHS employees waiting for test results must be isolated and they are expected to stay home for seven days if positive.
After seven days in isolation they are allowed to go back to work, provided they do not test negative on the lateral flow device. If they keep testing positive after day 6 and 7, they could be out of work longer.
The revelation that Omicron could cause a spike in hospitalisations due to Omicron was made last week was confirmed by the Army and NHS.
Last December 24th, the UK Health Security Agency published daily Covid data. The most recent hospitalization figures are only up to December 20th.
London data shows that Covid admissions rose by 92 percent in one week.
London is the hardest hit by the new virus, with 1 in 20 Londoners infected. Ten of England’s most severely affected postcodes are located in a 3-mile stretch that runs between Lambeth and Wandsworth (highlighted yellow).
The UKHSA did a thorough analysis and found that Omicron-infected patients are 70% less likely to need hospital admissions than those with other variants.
MPs and doctors have called for more transparency around the UK’s hospitalisation data, with any patients who happen to test positive included in the daily tally even if they are receiving treatment for an unrelated condition.
The Prime Minister is trying to prevent imposing harsh Covid restrictions on the new year ahead of today’s crucial meeting with scientists.
Johnson will have talks with his advisers in order to see if there are legal safeguards that can be put in place to combat Omicron.
Downing Street is understood to be leaning towards new guidance urging people in England to be careful and limit contacts – rather than imposing new legally binding restrictions such as table service in pubs or limits on household mixing.
This could all change, however, if the data regarding hospitalisations indicates that there could be a surge in coronavirus-related infections to overwhelm the NHS.
The PM has considered possible restrictions over the last few days, including closing bars and restaurants indoors.
Cabinet approval is required for any new restrictions that are legally binding. They would also need to be stamped by the MPs.
But last night sources said the recall of Parliament was looking less likely than it had before Christmas – an indication that Downing Street is leaning away from stricter curbs. A simple directive urging people not to contact others would suffice without the need for Parliamentary approval or support from the Cabinet.