It is important to remember that the NHS has prepared well for this second wave and we have learned a lot.  We have new life saving treatments, and better understand the oxygen treatments. Survival rates in intensive care have increased from 72% to 85%

We have been working together across health and care for years now and we are confident that we have the plans we need in place.  But we need everyone to do their part and follow the guidance so we do not have to activate these plans.   

The number one way that people can help is to follow the new national lockdown rules which came into force on 5^th November – stay at home if you can, do not mix households and follow hands/face/space. More details can be found here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

Latest figures:

The rise in infections in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire we saw across September and October continues to drive an increase in hospitalisations and also deaths.

• We have seen 361 admissions relating to Covid-19 in the seven days to 1^st November, compared with 326 for the previous seven days.
• We have 456 beds occupied by Covid+ patients as of 3rd November.
• Of those 456 beds, 7.2% were mechanically ventilated.
• We now have 50% more people with Covid in our hospitals than we did at the start of April in the peak of the first wave.
• There were 56 deaths in hospitals our area in the seven days to 4^th November – for comparison, the whole of July and August saw just two deaths. 
• In September, we saw 530,413 appointments in general practice, 3.5% more than the same month last year.
• Of those half a million appointments, 56% were face-to-face, and just under half (48%) were on the same day or the next day, up from 44% for September last year. 

Dr Andy Haynes, Executive Lead, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System, said: “As we head into a one month nationwide lockdown we are starting to see the number of patients in our hospitals begin to plateau. This does not mean we are out of the woods yet though. The numbers are still much higher than we experienced at the peak of the first wave and we continue to see a considerable amount of deaths due to Covid-19. I would urge the public to continue to take the measures seriously so that we can reduce the infection rate within the community and start to lower the numbers of cases in our hospitals. Our NHS staff have had a very long and difficult year and I would like to thank everyone for their continued hard work and the public for their understanding of this situation and the change they are continuing to see in our services. Despite these changes it is important to remember that the NHS is still here for you.”

Remember:

The NHS is here for you and so if you are concerned about a new lump or mole or have any other health issues then please get in touch with your GP or in an emergency call 999.  If you are unsure which service you need, call 111 or go to 111 Online who will advise you on the best service for your needs.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus, including a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste, then get a test by calling 119 or go online to https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

The best way that we can all help with the situation is by following the national lockdown restrictions but remember that healthcare is a specific exemption – so if you are ill please get in touch like you would usually and stick to your appointments unless you hear otherwise.