Face masks are being brought back in one Greater Manchester hospital as it is hit with a wave of viruses and infections
Greater Manchester’s hospitals are being hit hard as flu takes over the country – with two hospitals sending out urgent messages to the public this morning alone .
Face masks are back The Royal Bolton Hospital has announced today that it will be reintroducing face masks in patient areas. The ruling means that all staff, patients and visitors have to wear surgical face masks in inpatient areas from today. This afternoon, the hospital was alerting on its website that its ‘emergency department is currently very busy’, with waiting times to be seen of around two to four hours. It advised that ‘highest priority patients will be seen first’.
An average of 4,469 patients were in England's hospitals with flu in the week ending Sunday December 29, according to the latest official figures. That's five-times as many cases as the same time last year when there were an average of 942 in hospital with flu, and is more than double the average at the same time in 2022 when there were 2,088 flu patients in hospital.
One in every 14 of those people, a total of 400 patients, had to wait over an hour before being admitted – preventing paramedics and ambulances from being back out on the road responding to emergencies. “With what looks like an extreme cold snap expected right across England ahead of the weekend, we know the low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions so if you are at risk, do try and keep warm and make sure you are stocked up on any regular medication.
Multiple anonymous accounts painted a bleak picture of what that looks like on the frontline. Staff have come forward with stories of ‘extreme overcrowding’, where emergency departments have been filled with as many as 180 people. “We want to reassure the public that every effort is being made to provide safe, high-quality care despite these pressures. Our dedicated NHS staff are working tirelessly, often under very difficult circumstances, to care for patients. However, we have seen longer waits in A&Es, an increase in delays when transferring patients from ambulances, and in some cases, patients receiving care in areas not ideally suited for their needs.
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