New group working to free up hospital beds and co-ordinate Northamptonshire response to coronavirus

"We want to be as ready as possible for the expected progression of the Covid-19 outbreak."
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A group has been set up to make Northamptonshire as ready as possible for the progression of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Northamptonshire Local Resilience Forum has put together a 'strategic co-ordinating group' to organise the public sector response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

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They will focus on supporting the public health messages to reduce the spread of the virus, freeing up more hospital beds and creating hubs to help the vulnerable and those self-isolating.

Joint chief executive of the two Northamptonshire clinical commissioning groups Toby SandersJoint chief executive of the two Northamptonshire clinical commissioning groups Toby Sanders
Joint chief executive of the two Northamptonshire clinical commissioning groups Toby Sanders

Group chairman Toby Sanders, who is also joint chief executive of the two Northamptonshire clinical commissioning groups, said: “This is obviously an unprecedented situation and a very challenging time for everyone.

"We are working closely with partners and incident centres to ensure resources are in the right places, at the right time.

"We want to be as ready as possible for the expected progression of the Covid-19 outbreak."

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In relation to freeing up as many hospital beds as possible, NHS England has asked hospitals urgently discharge all hospital in-patients who are medically fit to leave.

In Northamptonshire, the group is working closely with health and social care services as well as Kettering General and Northampton General hospitals to support the

transfer of patients out of hospital either to home or into alternative provision.

Patients who are well enough to be transferred, either to other care providers, or to be cared for at home will now begin to be moved out of acute hospitals as part of a phased programme.

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Mr Sanders explained: “We are responding to a fast moving, fluid situation and have to move quickly to free up the maximum possible number of hospital inpatient and critical care

beds to be ready for the expected progression of the Covid-19 outbreak.

“Health and social care colleagues are working closely together to ensure a fast and safe transfer of these patients.

"We are only moving people who are well enough to be transferred out of an acute hospital either into another care setting or back home.

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“Over the coming days the hospital discharge teams will be contacting affected patients, carers and relatives as appropriate to advise them of their transfer plans.

“All agencies are doing all they can to protect and care for the most vulnerable in the county and to lessen the spread of the disease, and we are calling on the public to do their part in the effort to tackle the virus.”

The Local Resilience Forum works closely with incident co-ordination centres set up across the county by councils, health, social care and emergency services, while working with the voluntary, charity and private sectors.