Calderdale health chiefs review Covid-19 pressures on hospitals and impact of children

Neil Smurthwaite, speaking for Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, told members of Calderdale Health and Wellbeing Board: “We are seeing extreme strain on hospital services again,” he said.

It was quite alarming reflecting on the two to three week delay before lockdown was introduced and the impact of Christmas mingling on the new variant of COVID-19, with around 70 per cent of those in hospital having this new variant, said Mr Smurthwaite.

Overall things like cancer services were still progressing but the pressure on bed capacity, oxygen supply and Intensive Care Unit beds was still extremely high, he said.

Whereas the trust had previously been reporting between seven and nine deaths a week, in this new intensive period it had increased to seven a day.

The board was assessing COVID-19’s impact on key areas of care and the community.

The council’s Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Julie Jenkins said mental health was a concern for young people with 83 per cent of them considering it had worsened during the pandemic.

Partial closures of schools, and closures of things like leisure centres, had contributed to this.

Home working was variable with some families taking to it better than others. Another issue which was concerning young people was whether their exams would take place or not, said Ms Jenkins.

She said lost learning would have an impact – before it, Calderdale had been closing the attainment gap but it was likely it would increase.

There were some positives, some children enjoying having more time with their families and for some vulnerable learners it had meant less bullying.

Mr Smurthwaite, also speaking as Deputy Chief Officer of Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group, said they were working closely with clinical directors to understand what pressures they were under in delivering the COVID-19 vaccinations alongside regular services.

Caron Walker of Public Health said the message was that Calderdale was doing really well in reducing the spread of COVID-19 but rates were still high.

Board Chair Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) agreed and reminded members restrictions were brought in to Calderdale last autumn because the rate had reached 30 cases per 100,000.

“There is a hugely long way to go and a lot of caution about lockdown bringing rates down to where we need to be,” he said.

Other impacts the board heard would continue during and after the pandemic included dealing with grief and loss, the impact on mental health in all ages, loneliness, the new role of technology in consulting, and the continuing critical role in health of the primary care network, based around GP surgeries.