Agenda item

To receive presentations from the Clinical Commissioning Group and Sir James Mackey, Chief Executive Officer, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust.

Members received an updated presentation on the COVID-19 pandemic from Sir James Mackey, Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.  (Presentation attached as Appendix C).

The Committee were shown how many COVID positive tests were conducted on a given day.  On 21 January 2021, 100 admitted patients were tested for COVID-19 with 17 testing positive.  The highest day Northumbria had experienced was a couple of days after this with 33-35 positive tests.  In the autumn there had been between 1-3 positive tests a day with an increase in positive cases in the run up to the Christmas period and beyond.

With regards to bed occupancy on the 21 January 2021, the Committee were shown an infographic which showed the Trust running at a healthy 80.2% occupancy across the Trust.  Of the 793 beds available, 173 were occupied by COVID positive inpatients.  The Committee were informed that this increased after this date to its highest number of 187 beds. The infographic showed there had been 100% occupancy of critical care beds but that this was a fluid situation and was liable to change by the hour.

Northumbria had been working with the Critical Care Network to help with pressures.  This had been effective and had enabled Newcastle Hospitals to accept patients from the South of England and Birmingham. It was possible that London and the South East had not experienced three waves and it was difficult to tell if the current wave was a third wave or a continuation of the second wave. Assuming three waves, each wave had been getting worse. During April of last year, the graph showed 140 beds occupied by COVID.  There had been limited testing available at this time and it is likely that the true numbers were closer to 180 or 190. 

With regards to mortality, there had been a period during the summer were there had been no COVID deaths but from September the COVID positive deaths had started to increase.  The Committee were informed that, unfortunately, the Trust had lost their first member of staff to COVID the day before the meeting.  

Just under 100,000 patients had been admitted to Northumbria since 18 March 2020, this included 2404 COVID positive patients.  There had been a total of 512 COVID positive deaths at the Trust.  It was recognised that this had a tragic impact on the wider community and staff.  Northumbria had remained open for other normal business and had maintained other services.

The Committee were told that mortality was difficult to compare due to the use of different systems and places of death such as care homes or private homes.  Hospital mortality data was also difficult to obtain and compare.  The presentation showed that 21% of COVID positive patients had passed away.  Northumbria has a respiratory support unit which allows for non-mechanical ventilation.  135 patients had been in critical care but 217 had been on the respiratory support unit which has allowed for greater capacity. This had allowed Northumbria to take patients from other areas such as Cumbria and South Tyneside.  Additionally, this eased the pressure from Newcastle Hospitals which had allowed them to take admissions from Birmingham and the South East. 

Treatment and care of COVID patients had improved with greater understanding of the disease.  This had been evident in the figures between April 2020 – August 2020 and September 2020 – January 2021. Patients now had a much better chance of survival but stay in hospital much longer.

The North East had been praised for its delivery of the vaccine with much of the work being carried out by primary care.  Community rates had been declining; however, this is yet to translate into a reduction of hospital admissions.  The Trust emphasised the collaboration between the Trust, CCG and Local Authority.

The Trust reiterated to the Committee the importance of sticking to the rules in light of the new variant. The new variant had been found to be more contagious than previous variations of COVID-19, although, there was no evidence it cause a more critical illness.

Northumbria had continued to deliver a full range of services throughout the pandemic with some elective care having to be cancelled in the last few weeks to help free up staff for critical care capacity.  Overall, performance at Northumbria had been good both nationally and regionally.  A&E numbers had been lower than normal as patients accessed services in different ways. 

Northumbria had developed a PPE manufacturing hub.  There were plans to develop this hub further and to provide a broader supply chain for the NHS and beyond in coming years. The Committee were informed that the Trust’s strategy post COVID would focus on recovery and the Trust’s role in society. 

Sir James Mackey gave thanks to all the staff, public and partners for their support and efforts in fighting COVID-19.

The following comments were made in response to questions raised by members:-

•       Travelling for vaccines – The preference is for primary care to deliver the vaccines; however, the process is being controlled by central government and some people are being asked to travel to the vaccination hubs such as the Centre for Life in Newcastle. It is expected that more hubs like the Centre for life will be set up.  The NHS has tried to influence Government vaccination priorities.

•       Public Health England are conducting numerous studies on vaccine effectiveness and monitoring any new strains.  It is thought that there is about 150 different strains of the virus in the UK.  Vaccines are developed to be updated and changed as the virus evolves.  Its expected that the vaccine will be amended with booster shots depending on the dominate strain.  The COVID vaccine will become a regular vaccine like the flu vaccine.

•       The vaccine is reducing the severity of illness but not the rate of infection.  As not all the population has been vaccinated yet the worry is those who are vaccinated may pass on the more highly contagious variant to someone who has not been vaccinated and would therefore be a risk of being seriously ill and needing hospital treatment.  It is unclear to what extent any vaccine reduces transmission.

•       The strength of Northumbria’s team has helped the Trust cope with increased demand.  

Prise was given for the quality of the report to the Committee and for the hard work the NHS was undertaking.  Condolences were also expressed for the death of the Northumbria member of staff who had passed away the previous day.  

RESOLVED that the information be noted.