Changes have been introduced at Hull Royal infirmary to protect some of the hospital’s youngest patients, but staff are stressing that they’re as easy as 1-2-3.

In recent weeks, new rules have been brought in by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to protect patients, staff and visitors across HRI and Castle Hill from the potentially fatal COVID19.

Now staff working in the Children’s Accident & Emergency Department are keen to explain what they’re doing to keep people safe too.

Dr Liz Herrieven, paediatric consultant in emergency medicine (pictured left) says:

“People are largely familiar with the ideas of social distancing and face coverings now, but if a parent needs to bring their child to A&E, they may not necessarily know how the rules impact them and whether the rules are different for children.

“We would always encourage parents, where they can, to seek treatment for their child closer to home in the first instance. Many children are being brought into A&E right now with routine complaints such as sunburn, insect bites, heat rash and verrucas which could be more easily – and more safely – treated at home.

“If the child’s problem is serious, however, the rules within Children’s A&E are very similar to other parts of our hospitals, and we’re saying they’re as easy as 1-2-3:

1 – Only one parent is allowed to wait with each child in need of treatment – sorry, no siblings are able to wait with you
2 – Two metre social distancing is required, so the number of seats and the amount of space available in the waiting area has been reduced to keep people safe
3 – Remember the three 1s. If you’re unsure what to do, call NHS111 first. They can provide over-the-phone advice, tell you the best place to seek treatment, and if your child still needs to come to A&E, they’ll let you know.

Dr Herrieven says parents should not become complacent:

“While COVID19 has been more serious in the older end of the population so far, children are by no means immune to the disease.

“No one would deliberately put their child in harm’s way, but in the middle of a global pandemic, that’s just what parents could be doing if they bring a child to hospital who doesn’t need to be here.

“We are doing our utmost to protect people; we have put measures in place around social distancing, handwashing, face coverings, and we’re limiting each party to two people – one parent and one child – in the department at any one time, but parents also have a role to play in thinking whether they need to be here at all.

“The majority of childhood illnesses, along with the usual summertime, bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes can be treated at home or with advice from your local pharmacist. More serious problems such as cuts which need stitching, sprains, animal bites and even some suspected fractures can also be sorted at one of the local urgent treatment centres.

“If we see a second spike of COVID19, we’re going to find ourselves under severe pressure and we’ll need to prioritise the most seriously unwell children. It’s important, therefore, that parents start to use the full range of NHS services available to them now. We know parents were doing this during the height of the COVID outbreak in March, April and May when they wanted to avoid hospital, so we know they can do it again, and help us make what’s set to be a busy winter that bit more bearable for everyone.”

Hayfever, insect bites, constipation and verrucas: minor health problems which most of us would sort with a quick trip to the pharmacy.

But they’re also among a growing number of routine complaints which parents are seeking help for at Hull Royal infirmary’s Children’s A&E.

Paediatric emergency medicine consultant, Dr Liz Herrieven

Dr Liz Herrieven, consultant in paediatric emergency medicine (pictured, left) says taking children to hospital when they don’t need to be there could mean putting them more at risk:

“During the height of the coronavirus outbreak, people were naturally fearful of coming to hospital and so parents became very good at either treating their children’s minor illnesses and injuries at home, or using alternatives such as local pharmacies or urgent treatment centres instead.

“After lockdown ended and now restrictions are starting to ease, we are seeing more and more parents bringing their children to us for help with non-urgent complaints again such as runny eyes, verrucas and upset tummies.

“In many cases, these children could have been cared for more appropriately and received the treatment they needed more quickly if their parents had taken them elsewhere. Not only that, but in the current climate bringing any child to hospital when they don’t need to be here potentially puts both the child and the parent at greater risk of exposure to COVID19.”

A total of 206 patients have died with COVID-19 at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since March 19^th.

Dr Herrieven is now asking for parents’ help ahead of an unpredictable winter:

“Since lockdown restrictions began to ease, the number of patients coming through the doors to Children’s A&E has been gradually increasing. During the height of the coronavirus outbreak, there were days when we could see as few as 20 patients per day, but now we’re averaging three times that, and in the depths of winter numbers have been known to go as high as 120.

“No one knows what’s going to happen with COVID19 as we head into the winter months, but we do expect an increase in demand for paediatric emergency care.

“We’re appealing to parents to start forming good habits now, and to start using alternatives to A&E for their children wherever possible. Reducing the number of routine ailments that our specialist staff have to treat will free us up to care for the most seriously ill children when they need us most.”

Barely three weeks have gone by since viewers across the country were left “gobsmacked” by the amount of abuse and disruption caused by patients and visitors in Hull’s A&E Department.

Channel 5’s A&E After Dark took viewers behind the scenes of the Emergency Department at Hull Royal Infirmary where, in some of its darker moments, patients and relatives were filmed spitting at, threatening and verbally abusing staff.

Throughout the series, week after week, people took to social media to shame the people exhibiting such behaviours and to commend staff for their professionalism.

Yet frontline NHS workers and reception staff are on the receiving end of abuse once again, this time linked to social distancing and new rules brought in to protect patients and visitors from the threat of COVID19.

Dr Ben Rayner, consultant in emergency medicine who also appeared in the TV series (pictured, top) says no matter what the situation, verbal abuse towards staff is not acceptable.

“Several weeks ago, we introduced social distancing within our Emergency Care area to protect people and help limit the spread of COVID19. This essentially means people must stay 2 metres apart and, in most cases, must wait alone.

“Since then, we’ve seen an unacceptably high number of incidents where staff have been sworn at and verbally abused simply because visitors cannot wait in the hospital with their friend or relative needing treatment.

“The reality of the situation is that patient attendances are rising once again and we’re regularly seeing around 350 patients in the department every day now. There simply isn’t space to comply with social distancing requirements and have friends or family waiting alongside our patients.

“Upon arrival, a lot of people are saying they didn’t know that patients had to wait alone. Even if that’s the case, shouting at staff who are simply doing their job and trying to protect everyone in the hospital is not going to change the situation.

“We understand that loved ones may be worried, but anyone who is considered well enough to wait in either our GP streaming or Minors areas of the emergency department is most likely well enough to wait on their own.

“Our jobs are difficult and stressful enough at any time. Those being subjected to verbal abuse are also someone’s mum, dad, sister, brother, daughter or son. We’d really urge people to think about that; would you be happy with someone shouting abuse at a member of your family, just for doing their job?

“COVID19 has not gone away, so we all have a duty to act responsibly and respectfully. Our staff come to work in a place of care, and we will not tolerate raised voices, bad language or threatening behaviour towards staff. No one should have to put up with that.

“If a patient really has to attend A&E, we’d recommend they and anyone who might be planning to come with them or bring them to hospital familiarise themselves with the rules. They are not there to be difficult, they are there for everyone’s protection.”

Rules for HRI’s Emergency Department check-in and waiting areas

The number of people in our Emergency Department is being restricted to keep everyone safe.

• Seats in our waiting areas have been placed 2 metres apart
• Face masks or another form of face covering such as a scarf or buff must be work inside the hospital at all times
• Floor stickers and signage have been placed at reception areas – please stand on the circles and behind the lines where indicated
• Only patients requiring treatment can enter the department
• The only exceptions are carers, a parent of a child requiring treatment, or if you are supporting someone with learning difficulties or dementia.
• Our highly trained and experienced staff will assist everyone else, including your loved one if they are in pain or distress.
• Please be respectful and courteous at all times. Anyone subjecting any member of our staff to threats or abuse will be ejected from our hospital and could face further action.
• Please make use of the handwash facilities and hand sanitiser which can be found throughout the department.

NHS and council organisations in Humber, Coast and Vale are appealing for the public’s help as they work together to increase the availability of health and care services, which were restricted, relocated or paused during the coronavirus outbreak.

At the outset of the pandemic, health and care professionals including hospital teams, GPs, health visitors and social care staff responded quickly by changing the way they worked.

While some services are returning to how they were before, many of the changes made in response to the pandemic need to remain to maintain patient and staff safety and ensure services are prepared to handle any future increases in Covid-19 cases.

The public can play a pivotal role in helping to ensure that health and care services can resume safely and promptly. You can support your local NHS by:

• Attending any appointments booked on your behalf
• Consulting NHS 111 first if you are unsure which service you need
• Only using A&E for emergencies
• Being prepared to travel to a different location for appointments or treatment
• Helping family and friends to get online so they can access online services if required

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Lead for the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, (pictured, right) said: “We have to make some tough decisions about how we bring back services over the coming months. These decisions are being taken by the doctors and nurses in our hospitals and in the community. Our main concern is and always will be everyone’s safety.

“Many of our staff have been asked to work in new roles and locations; equipment has been moved to where it is most needed to care for people; we have fewer beds in our hospital wards as we have had to move them further apart which takes up more space; and we have to wait longer between procedures in our operating theatres to allow for deep cleaning and for the air to change.

“This all means that while some services are being restored to how they were before the outbreak, we can’t switch them all back on straight away and we hope people can understand the reasons why and bear with us.

“We are thankful for your patience as we resume services safely as quickly as possible and we need your help to do this. If you are asked to come to hospital or your GP practice for treatment, please do everything you can to keep your appointment so that we can see as many people as possible within the current constraints.”

Dr Makani Purva, Chief Medical Officer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (pictured, right), said: “We’d like to thank local people for their patience, understanding and visible support over recent weeks and months. We had to make some immediate decisions for the safety and wellbeing of our staff, patients and their families and we know that, for some, these service changes will have caused a level of anxiety and concern.

“As we continue to work differently over the coming months, we ask for your ongoing support and patience. Measures will remain in place for now to enable us to try and resume more of our routine work but in ways which maximise safety for staff, patients and visitors. Your appointment might be conducted over the phone or online, for example, your care may be provided in a different way than you are used to, or you may even be asked to travel to a different location.

“The NHS is under pressure across the board right now, so if you have a hospital appointment or have been asked to visit your GP practice for treatment, please do everything you can to attend. This will help us to help as many people as possible within the current constraints.”

Our breast cancer screening service is starting next month after we had to put the service on hold to deal with Covid-19.

We’ll be starting routine mammograms from August 3 and priority will be given to women whose appointments had to be cancelled during the lockdown and suspension of all non-urgent health services.

Our screening sites are at Castle Hill Hospital, Morrison’s in Holderness Road,  East Hull, Freshney Green GP Practice in Grimsby. We’ve also got limited availability at the Pink Rose Suite at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Breast Screening Team said: “We’re so sorry we had to cancel appointments but we really appreciate the good will and understanding women have shown us while we’ve been dealing with the virus.

“We’ve worked really hard to get the service up and running again and we’ll be contacting women to rearrange their appointments over the coming weeks.

“Please be assured that if you’re coming for treatment, we’ve got all the proper safety measures and social distancing in place to keep you safe. You’ll need to wear a mask and our staff will be wearing the appropriate PPE.

“Thank you so much for your understanding.”

You can also contact our team by emailing Humberside.breastscreening@nhs.net or calling 01482 622300. Press option 1 for changes of appointment and general enquiries.

For hospital staff caring for patients with coronavirus, there can surely be no better sight than to see a patient leaving the ward after successfully beating the disease.

So imagine the joy, not only for ward staff but for the whole of Castle Hill Hospital’s endoscopy team when 52-year old Neil McDonald left hospital yesterday evening.

Neil was not only a patient, but a fellow employee at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, having worked as a healthcare assistant in the endoscopy team for some 15 years.

Neil began to experience coronavirus symptoms at the end of April, testing positive for COVID-19 shortly before he was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary on May 3^rd.

Within a day, Neil’s condition had deteriorated to the point where he required the specialist support of HRI’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). And that’s where he stayed for the next nine weeks.

Neil was ventilated and sedated, and his condition fluctuated many times while in ICU. Loved ones, staff and colleagues prepared themselves for the worst on several occasions.

But Neil proved to be a proper fighter, and having finally turned a corner in early July, he was able to leave intensive care for ward 5 where he spent a week, before moving on to complex rehabilitation ward 9 at Castle Hill to complete his hospital-based recovery.

Friend and endoscopy team registered nurse, Allyson Pattison said:

“As healthcare workers, we’ve been all too aware of the devastating impact coronavirus has had on individuals and families, but it hits even harder when it’s someone close to you who’s affected.

“Endoscopy is a close team, so finding out that Neil was seriously ill in hospital with COVID19 was such a blow to all of us. It was absolutely awful, and we were so worried about him, especially as his condition seemed to keep fluctuating; there were several times when we thought we were going to lose him.

“Obviously he wasn’t able to communicate with us while he was in intensive care, so it was such a relief when a few of us started to receive messages from him again just before he moved onto ward 5. We’d heard nothing for weeks and then we started to see him pop up on social media again, it was brilliant and just what we’d all been waiting for.”

Allyson has paid tribute to all of her hospital co-workers who have cared for Neil and supported his recovery:

“The staff in ICU who cared for Neil have done an amazing job, in fact I take my hat off to all of the staff who have played a part in his recovery. They did their absolute best to keep him going.

“When patients are with you for a long time, you do bond with them so it must have been incredibly hard for them to see a colleague so desperately ill too. They’ve been through the highs and lows with us and with Neil’s loved ones, and we’re just so fortunate and grateful to have him back.”

Having spent weeks being fed via a tube, Neil has had to re-train his stomach to start accepting solid food again, and being able to enjoy proper, home-cooked food again is one of the things he’s said to be looking forward to most.

In a short but heart-felt message sent after leaving hospital, Neil said: “To my family, ICU staff, the staff on ward 5 at Hull Royal Infirmary and Ward 9C at Castle Hill Hospital, friends and colleagues: thank you all for your support to help me beat COVID19 and be here to tell the story of my recovery. THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

Neil’s manager in endoscopy, Lucy Holgate, and the rest of her team are thrilled to see Neil doing so well, with many even popping down to cheer him off the ward yesterday:

“After spending months on an emotional roller-coaster, we were all so moved to spend the moment with him when he left ward 9C. We have missed him so much on the unit, especially his humour, and we are all so, so happy to see him on the road to recovery”.

Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said 3,000 outpatient appointments a day were cancelled for four months along with routine surgery and hospital procedures at Hull Royal, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull Women and Children’s Hospital and Hull Eye Hospital.

Now, with the initial peak of the virus over, all hospitals are attempting to resume surgery, outpatient clinics and other services against the backdrop of the still-present virus, the constraints of social distancing and the requirement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In a direct video message to patients, Mr Long said: “I am really, really sorry. None of us want to see people in pain or want to see people suffering or having to wait.

“We are doing everything that we can to try and get through the work. We are doing everything we can to change way that we do things and we are looking at how to work with partners to do some things differently.

“We are absolutely focused on getting you treated as soon as we possibly can.”

More than 44,000 people have lost their lives to the virus in the UK, including 203 at Hull Royal and Castle Hill since March 19. More than 500 people with the virus have been discharged from hospital and around 24 patients with either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 are still receiving treatment.

Mr Long said the trust was currently “running to stand still” to maintain hospital services after the cancellation of all but life or limb saving surgery following the lockdown in March.

He said: “Due to the constraints and the need to maintain social distancing, due to the need of our staff changing their PPE frequently, our productivity has gone right down.

“We can’t see the volumes of patients we normally do and I’m afraid the consequences are people are going to have to wait longer for operations and other procedures.

“Everything but urgent life-saving or limb-saving operations had to be cancelled while we prepared. We see about 3,000 outpatients every day so it doesn’t take long for that to build up.

“Due to the reduction in productivity, it is going to take years to recover. I’m afraid there is not going to be a quick fix.”

Video and telephone consultations have been introduced in some services where appropriate to help reduce waiting lists and prevent people making unnecessary trips to hospital. Clinical teams work together to prioritise patients awaiting treatment and the trust is working with Spire Hospital so those most in need are treated.

Mr Long said the trust was now preparing for a potential second wave later in the year, with two new wards being constructed at the back of the tower block at Hull Royal Infirmary to care for patients with the virus.

The Chief Executive has appealed to the public to continue following social distancing, hand hygiene and not to come to hospital if they are showing any symptoms of the virus including a dry, continuous cough, a temperature or the loss of their sense of taste or smell.

He also paid tribute to the trust’s 9,000-plus workforce for working throughout the pandemic to ensure they could care for those most in need.

He said: “They have been absolutely magnificent.

“they have thrown themselves into it. People have put themselves at risk without any thoughts for themselves.

“They have done everything that they can to make sure our patients are looked after properly and cared for properly. They have worked as a team brilliantly and it has been flat out.

“What I cannot emphasis enough is just how long this has been going on for. Having come out of winter, they went straight into this and they are still hard at it.

“Everyone should be really proud of their NHS Staff. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Although the number of patients dying in our hospitals is stabilizing, we must never forget the devastation COVID-19 has already caused to so many families.

“From March 19 until now, 202 people have died of the virus in our hospitals. Huge numbers of families have been affected and their lives will never be the same again. Our thoughts have been with them since the very start of the outbreak.

“At this point, I want to pay tribute to our staff who have responded with overwhelming compassion and dedication from the very beginning and continue to do so every day. They have cared for the sick and dying as they would for any member of their own family and they have my heartfelt gratitude.

“No one should use the slowing of the death rate as an excuse to ignore the measures in place to reduce the spread of infection. If we are to stand any chance of avoiding a second wave, we must follow the guidance to keep our community as safe as possible.”

Hospital Chief Executive Chris Long is issuing a stark warning to pub-goers to honour their commitment to ‘Protect the NHS’ this weekend as pubs across Hull and the East Riding re-open for business.

Emergency services are on high alert as pubs and restaurants prepare to open on Saturday for the first time since the lockdown was introduced on March 23 to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said now was the time for people to “Protect the NHS” by not placing another burden on Hull Royal Infirmary.

He said: “People stood on their doorsteps every Thursday night for weeks and applauded our staff because they appreciated how hard we were working to save lives.

“This weekend, act like you meant it. Don’t drink too much, get into fights or risk having an accident caused by alcohol just because you can go to a pub again.

“Our Emergency Department is under intense pressure already, not just with patients with Covid-19 but with those who still come here with minor illnesses and injuries when they should go elsewhere.

“We don’t need any extra burden caused by drunks who refuse to accept when they’ve had enough. Don’t be that person.”

Staff at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital have been under immense pressure since they dealt with the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK in January. Two hundred people have died at both hospitals since March 19.

This week, the trust announced more than 500 people with the virus had recovered enough to go home. However, around 50 people with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 remain in hospital, including those with the most severe form of the disease.

Fears are mounting that the reopening of pubs will result in a surge of new infections if people drop their guard and ignore social distancing measures.

Mr Long said: “The restrictions might be easing for you but my people remain on the frontline of Covid-19.

“Never forget our teams have been dealing with this every day for almost four months. They are exhausted but they are still holding the hands of the dying whose loved ones can’t be with them in their final hours.

“If you’re going out this weekend, remember us and your commitment to protect the NHS.

“Behave responsibly and ensure your friends and family do the same.

“We just do not have the resources, time or energy to deal with people who harm themselves or others because they can’t say no to yet another drink.”

The first confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the UK were confirmed at Castle Hill Hospital on 29th January, 2020. Ever since then our staff have been on the frontline in the fight against this terrible illness. Tragically, over 200 patients, including two of our colleagues, have lost their lives.

At our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 13 July, 12pm-2pm, you can hear our Infectious Diseases team tell their story, via video conference. Describing the first moment Coronavirus arrived in the UK all the way to our current position in the hospitals, this will be a first-hand account of how NHS staff have worked together to keep us safe.

With introductions from our Chairman, Terry Moran, we will pay tribute to our staff and remember everyone who has lost their lives  this year.

The AGM also includes a review of the year from Chief Executive, Chris Long, as well as a look at our financial position with Chief Finance Officer, Lee Bond.

If you wish to join us from 12pm on the 13th July, please let us know by emailing us at hyp-tr.comms@nhs.net and we will send dial in details to you.

Please note that we will be recording this meeting  held in public in order to make it available to staff and if possible, the public, afterwards. If you join via video link your image may be captured as part of the meeting.  If you do not wish your image to be recorded, please do not turn on your camera

Due to bandwith restrictions numbers are limited but we will seek to accommodate as many people as possible.