Following last week’s announcement, the Gilbert Bain Hospital is continuing to operate at full capacity. Thanks to mutual support from staff who usually work in other settings, we were able to open extra beds last week, ensuring that all planned surgical procedures went ahead as scheduled.
We will continue to monitor the situation daily throughout this week, assessing whether we can safely maintain planned surgical procedures as bed occupancy remains high. All clinically urgent procedures will go ahead as planned, and we will minimise cancellations wherever possible, understanding the impact this has on affected patients. Any patients who may be affected will be contacted directly.
Across the health and social care system, we continue to face pressures, including:
- Patients with extended lengths of stay
- Patients awaiting transfer to specialist care
- Limited community beds
- Staff sickness in both acute and community settings
We are working in close partnership to address these issues together. The hospital and community health & social care services are working together to ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. We are jointly reviewing how we can improve flow across hospital and community settings to minimise delays and maintain patient safety.
Our staff continue to work together to maintain safe and effective care, particularly at a time when the system is under strain. We have increased staffing levels to help maintain safety during winter pressures. We appreciate the commitment of colleagues across both hospital and community settings, whose ongoing efforts help us maintain safe and effective care despite these pressures.
To help us maintain safety and reduce the spread of illness, we kindly ask that if you are feeling unwell – especially with respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms – you refrain from visiting the hospital or any care home settings.
We understand this can be a challenging time, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. Please know that we will keep you updated as the situation progresses.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.