KGH Covid-19 recovery data won't be released

The hospital said they cannot confirm how many coronavirus patients have been discharged
Kettering General Hospital.Kettering General Hospital.
Kettering General Hospital.

The number of KGH patients who have recovered from Covid-19 cannot be released because of "national guidance".

The Rothwell Road hospital, which is still treating more than 100 patients who have tested positive for the virus, has witnessed 180 tragic deaths since the pandemic started.

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The Northants Telegraph has received countless requests to report the number of recoveries as well, and has been asking for that data since the start of April.

But authorities say they won't release the number of patients who have been discharged "in line with national guidance" because the number hasn't been verified.

A spokesman for the Northamptonshire COVID-19 Strategic Coordination Centre said: “It is important that all statistics that go into the public domain are verified and accurate.

"Just like everywhere else in the country, the NHS in Northamptonshire reports daily Covid-19 data to NHS England, and then verified regional and local statistics are published nationally by the government every day.

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"In line with national guidance, we do not publish our own data outside of this process because doing so may result in the public receiving incomplete and unverified information.”

However, some other hospital trusts have been releasing the data.

On May 28, the North West Anglia NHS Trust said that 436 Covid-19 patients had been discharged from nearby Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford Hospitals since March 23.

And a day later the Blackpool NHS Trust said they had discharged 344 Covid-19 patients.

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But in Kettering that data has still not been released. One patient known to have beaten the virus at KGH is Wellingborough war hero Douglas Moore, who was discharged last month at the age of 98 with an emotional clap of honour.

Using data released last week on the number of positive tests, inpatients and deaths, the Northants Telegraph believes the number of Covid-19 recoveries at KGH could potentially be as high as 400.

But a KGH spokesman was unable to confirm the number and directed the Northants Telegraph to the Northamptonshire COVID-19 Strategic Coordination Centre statement.

Last week the hospital's medical director Prof Andrew Chilton outlined the task they continue to face with the hospital's battle taking longer to ease off than elsewhere in the country.

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He said: "We have still got a significant amount of Covid in our community and what we haven't seen is a reduction in our Covid admissions."

And chief executive Simon Weldon warned: "The virus is still here with us and it's going to be for many months ahead."