17 hospitals in Greater Manchester have taken the decision to pause some non-urgent surgeries and appointments.
It comes after COVID cases have “risen sharply” in the region.
Following the confirmation by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) that in some hospitals in the region, more than one in five patients have COVID, and around 15% of hospital staff are off ill or isolating, the move to pause non-urgent surgeries has been described as “temporary measure” in a statement released by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
The move will not affect cancer and urgent care – including cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and transplantation.
Speaking on the move, Fiona Noden – lead for elective care in the region and chief executive of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – said: “This has been a very difficult decision and not one that we have taken lightly, but we’ve done it so we can keep people safe, can maintain the very best infection control measures, can make sure we deploy staff to where they’re needed most and can keep looking after people who need urgent and emergency care, including cancer treatment.
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“We would urge anyone with health concerns to continue to come forward for help and treatment in the usual way, using their local emergency department only for serious illnesses or injuries.”
Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal, and North Manchester General are among the 17 hospitals pausing non-urgent surgeries.
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The full list of hospitals affected are:
Royal Bolton Hospital
Fairfield General Hospital
Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital
University Dental Hospital of Manchester
St Mary’s Hospital
North Manchester General Hospital
The Royal Oldham Hospital
Salford Royal Hospital
Stepping Hill Hospital
Tameside General Hospital
Trafford General Hospital
Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
Wrightington Hospital
Leigh Infirmary
Wythenshawe Hospital
Macclesfield District General Hospital
Greater Manchester Combined Authority said COVID admissions are “rising sharply” in the region, from 126 on 19 December, to 359 on 2 January, and that inpatient diagnoses more than tripled from 193 to 738, adding: “There are also outbreaks in an increasing number of care homes, which is affecting how people are discharged from hospital.
“The bed modelling suggests these challenges may get worse, not better, in the next week or two.”
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17 hospitals in Greater Manchester have taken the decision to pause some non-urgent surgeries and appointments / Credit: Picryl
The move by Greater Manchester hospitals follows similar precautions are already being brought in by hospital trusts covering Blackpool and Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, and comes as multiple hospitals across the country declared critical incidents over the weekend amid warnings the NHS is “in a state of crisis”.
By declaring an internal critical incident, hospital trusts are able to get assistance from nearby hospitals and other NHS trusts.
They can also increase co-operation between health care centres.
Chris Hopson – Chief Executive of NHS Providers – said that declaring a critical internal incident allows hospital trusts to “carry on providing the services that it needs to provide, particularly the critical and essential services”.
Featured Image – Salford Royal Hospital | Google Maps
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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Emily Sergeant -
5th January 2022 
