Coronavirus (2021) thread

[unicorn]

HOSPITAL DATA

UK total:

Patients down to 1159 - it was 39, 248 at the peak on 18 Jan - (fall of 38, 089 in 109 days) :- lowest since 18 September

ADMISSIONS:- 96 Covid admissions following 76, 98, 92, 68, 82, 81, 89, in the week before.

The decline slows but importantly hasn't stalled.

At this stage most hospitals (including my own in Sheffield) aren't receiving ANY daily Covid admissions, and in parts of the country must be close to having ZERO inpatients.

I'd be interested to hear more from Simon Stevens (head of NHS England) on the challenges of returning NHS capacity back to pre-pandemic levels while the risk of Covid persists.

NHS services are far from back to normal; my parents' surgery is months off, and getting a face-to-face GP appointment takes weeks. Older people may be terrified of entering hospitals for routine treatment.

 

[hammocity]

The decline slows but importantly hasn't stalled.

At this stage most hospitals (including my own in Sheffield) aren't receiving ANY daily Covid admissions, and in parts of the country must be close to having ZERO inpatients.

I'd be interested to hear more from Simon Stevens (head of NHS England) on the challenges of returning NHS capacity back to pre-pandemic levels while the risk of Covid persists.

NHS services are far from back to normal; my parents' surgery is months off, and getting a face-to-face GP appointment takes weeks. Older people may be terrified of entering hospitals for routine treatment.

On your last point I'm getting quite concerned. My GP Surgery is still in a state of early lockdown functioning. It's weird, no seats in the surgery, no appointments with Doctors, no walk ins for emergencies. I attended last week to collect a heart monitor to self administer as I have heart arrhythmia and in Feb 2020 my Doctor said the medication I was on is not suitable at my age and I needed to be reassessed. I had a very stressful week (mostly due to my Dad who I look after and had post operative delirium after an eye operation) and my heart rhythm and blood pressure were all over the place, no idea what happens next as they are going to "write" to me. I'm a potential heart attack waiting to happen, how I got through the PSG game I'll never know!

 

[hammocity]

Had my second AZ jab Thursday, no effects whatsoever even though the first one had left me lethargic and sleepy with a crashing headache and sore arm for a day or so, I'd had Covid late Oct so not sure if that had any effect.

 

[unicorn]

On your last point I'm getting quite concerned. My GP Surgery is still in a state of early lockdown functioning. It's weird, no seats in the surgery, no appointments with Doctors, no walk ins for emergencies. I attended last week to collect a heart monitor to self administer as I have heart arrhythmia and in Feb 2020 my Doctor said the medication I was on is not suitable at my age and I needed to be reassessed. I had a very stressful week (mostly due to my Dad who I look after and had post operative delirium after an eye operation) and my heart rhythm and blood pressure were all over the place, no idea what happens next as they are going to "write" to me. I'm a potential heart attack waiting to happen, how I got through the PSG game I'll never know!

Really sorry to hear that mate, you can do without all that stress.

Access to GP services has been patchy for years as the number of medical students opting for GP careers reduced and many GPs took early retirement. My parents live near Cambridge, well-served by GP services, and they've really struggled with appointments by phone and the sense that the surgery is a no-go area.

 

[hammocity]

Really sorry to hear that mate, you can do without all that stress.

Access to GP services has been patchy for years as the number of medical students opting for GP careers reduced and many GPs took early retirement. My parents live near Cambridge, well-served by GP services, and they've really struggled with appointments by phone and the sense that the surgery is a no-go area.

Cheers, to prove your point one of the two permanent Doctors at my surgery is retiring this year, I'm guessing he's mid 50's. He has "other" medical income including being the Doctor in an ambulance that follows the racehorses around Haydock Park. The quacks is in a deprived area, they struggle to get Locum Doctors. I fear it will get worse and there's people at that surgery that really do need a lot of help.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Really sorry to hear that mate, you can do without all that stress.

Access to GP services has been patchy for years as the number of medical students opting for GP careers reduced and many GPs took early retirement. My parents live near Cambridge, well-served by GP services, and they've really struggled with appointments by phone and the sense that the surgery is a no-go area.

GPs have been trying to move to more on-line and telephone consultations for years, backed by Government / NHS policy. That suits some GPs but others feel like they are being criticised for doing what they were instructed to do. There should be a mixture of both and hopefully the face to face consultations will rise substantially from June with full reopening of society

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Cheers, to prove your point one of the two permanent Doctors at my surgery is retiring this year, I'm guessing he's mid 50's. He has "other" medical income including being the Doctor in an ambulance that follows the racehorses around Haydock Park. The quacks is in a deprived area, they struggle to get Locum Doctors. I fear it will get worse and there's people at that surgery that really do need a lot of help.

There were pension advantages for GPs retiring early a few years back. I don’t know if that is still the case.

 

[artfuldodger]

On your last point I'm getting quite concerned. My GP Surgery is still in a state of early lockdown functioning. It's weird, no seats in the surgery, no appointments with Doctors, no walk ins for emergencies. I attended last week to collect a heart monitor to self administer as I have heart arrhythmia and in Feb 2020 my Doctor said the medication I was on is not suitable at my age and I needed to be reassessed. I had a very stressful week (mostly due to my Dad who I look after and had post operative delirium after an eye operation) and my heart rhythm and blood pressure were all over the place, no idea what happens next as they are going to "write" to me. I'm a potential heart attack waiting to happen, how I got through the PSG game I'll never know!

I agree. My partner, 25 years in the NHS, has just applied for a new job In Trafford. The job is assessing and advising new clients who have been referred to the hospital based drug and alcohol team. Starting September. They assumed the service would be face to face. But no. It’s working from home, phoning the clients up. That’s not a service. Why is there an assumption they won’t be seeing clients/patients in September.

 

[come-on-barney]

Good news on under 40s having the choice of vaccines.

I wasn't convinced the AZ one was worth the hassle being in my early 30s. Until you hardy bunch convinced me it was still probably best to 'risk' it. Because when Covid picks up again the balance of risk is definitely higher with getting Covid.

I wonder what the alternative will be though. If it's anything but Pfizer then you potentially risk some other issue on a vaccine that hasn't been used for long enough for them to spot any issues with all age groups.

Bear in mind Pfizer were also investigating claims of heart inflammation. I think all vaccines carry a very very small risk, but not as great a risk as Covid.

 

[paulchapo]

Cheers, to prove your point one of the two permanent Doctors at my surgery is retiring this year, I'm guessing he's mid 50's. He has "other" medical income including being the Doctor in an ambulance that follows the racehorses around Haydock Park. The quacks is in a deprived area, they struggle to get Locum Doctors. I fear it will get worse and there's people at that surgery that really do need a lot of help.

Same in my practice in Altrincham. I was called by the receptionist after a blood test to say my doctor needed to make a telephonic appointment to talk to me about it. When I said my doctor's name she told me he had left the practice over a year ago! Nobody had informed me or told me which doctor was now assigned to me which I found incredible.

He was probably in his mid fifties and had retired early and was doing some locum work. A lot seem to do little earners on the side once they retire. I used to have to have an ENG1 medical every two years when I worked on the ships. The doctor who did it was retired and did them from his house in Disley. This medical certificate incorporated airline staff, rig workers etcetera so I guess it was a nice little earner. He was very thorough and after one medical he was very impressed with my fitness for my age and told me I had reached the level for a jumbo jet pilot and their criteria was very stringent. I told him I was very happy to hear that, there was one small problem though I couldn't fly a bloody jumbo jet lol.