Royal Bolton Hospital has been forced to issue an urgent plea to the public after around 100 people were believed to have turned up to A&E yesterday seeking coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.
Health officials confirmed that the hospital’s A&E department is “currently very busy”.
Dr Francis Andrews – Medical Director at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – said: “We are extremely busy in our emergency department as a result of [rising infection rates]. Only attend this department if you have experienced a life threatening accident or illness and need urgent medical attention.We need to keep people safe, and having limited numbers in this area is key to this.
“Nearly 100 people have attended the department in recent days requesting a COVID test.”
He added: “We are seeing more people being admitted with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 as a result of the very high rate of infections in Bolton.
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“This is not a shift we want to see.
“The situation at the hospital is under control and we were well prepared for this. However the rate continuing to rise is of concern, and we continue to urge the people of Bolton to consider others when making decisions that could jeopardise their safety.”
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Bolton NHS also took to Twitter yesterday evening to ask that members of the public refrain from using A&E facilities with the intent of requesting COVID-19 tests and instead visit “gov.uk or call 119”.
A&E is currently very busy, managing a high volume of patients who have arrived requesting a #COVID19 test ⚠️
Patients are requested not to turn up to the hospital, if you have symptoms here's what you should do 👉 https://t.co/LJlBytar5K
In response to the situation, Professor Donna Hall – Chair of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – also said on Twitter: “Very busy emergency department today as poorly people unable to get a test come to us for help. This is why it’s so important to have a functioning testing and tracing system – one day of delays can cause hundreds more infections.
“This is a very worrying situation for us in Bolton.”
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Speaking to BBC Radio 4 The World Tonight yesterday, she added: “We had 100 people in our accident and emergency unit today, five ambulances queuing outside. This failure of the test and trace system is placing huge pressure on the NHS and social care.”
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It comes after an increase in demand for tests over the past few weeks has led to local shortages – particularly in Greater Manchester – with some people being directed to test sites hundreds of miles from their homes.
Addressing the situation in the House of Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the system is facing an “enormous challenge” after a “sharp rise” in those seeking a test. He admitted that there were a number of current “operational challenges” with the testing process, which the government was “working hard” to fix.
He continued: “I don’t deny that it is an enormous challenge and when you have a free service it’s inevitable that demand rises.
All tests in Bolton must be booked in advance and there are no walk-up or drop-in testing sites.
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Cllr David Greenhalgh – Leader of Bolton Council – commented: “We need Bolton to be prioritised with extra testing capacity. Two new test centres have opened in the borough with another to open in the next day or so, but we are seeing overwhelming demand for appointments, and residents consistently unable to access that extra capacity through the nationally run booking scheme.
“This is not acceptable, and we are asking the government to give us additional tests through the national portal for our symptomatic residents.”
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Bolton still has the highest infection rate of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, with 189 new positive tests registered for every 100,000 people over the last week.
For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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NHS releases list of first conditions set to be eligible for new ‘online hospital’
Emily Sergeant
The first conditions that are set to be eligible for video appointments via the new NHS online hospital have been revealed.
In case you hadn’t heard, back in September of last year, the Government has announced that the NHS would be setting up an ‘online hospital’ known simply as NHS Online – which will not have a physical site and instead digitally connect patients to expert clinicians anywhere across the country.
Ultimately, this means patients can be seen faster than normal, as teams triage them quickly through the NHS App and let them book in scans at times that suit them at centres closer to their home.
NHS Online – which will begin to see its first patients in 2027 – is expected to deliver the equivalent of up to 8.5 million virtual appointments and assessments in its first three years, according to the NHS, which is four times more than an average NHS trust.
And now, the NHS has selected nine ‘common’ conditions which will be the first to be treated by the NHS Online service.
📲 Introducing NHS Online 📲
A new digital hospital will transform healthcare.
From 2027, you'll be able to get specialist care:
✅ straight to your home via the NHS App ✅ faster than a traditional hospital appointment ✅ wherever you live in England
Women’s health issues, including severe menopause symptoms and menstrual problems that can be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids, will be among the conditions available for online referrals, as will prostate problems like prostate enlargement and a raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, along with eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
NHS Online will also provide support for other painful and distressing conditions, such as iron deficiency anaemia and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
So, how will NHS Online work then? Well, when a patient has an appointment with their GP, they will have the option of being referred to the online hospital for their specialist care instead, and then from there, they’ll be able to book directly through the NHS App.
Once referred to the online hospital, patients will have the ability to see specialists from around the country without leaving their home or having to wait longer for a face-to-face appointment.
The NHS has released a list of the first conditions set to be eligible for the new ‘online hospital’ / Credit: Nordwood Themes (via Unsplash) | rawpixel
If they need a scan, test, or procedure, then they’ll be able to book this in at a time that suits them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home.
Patients will also be able to track their prescriptions and get advice on managing their condition at home too.
“We’ve selected nine common conditions which the NHS Online service will initially provide support for when it launches next year, including some women’s health issues as well as prostate problems,” commented Professor Stella Vig, who is the National Clinical Director for Elective Care at NHS England.
“We know that these conditions can be painful and difficult to cope with so providing faster, more convenient access to diagnosis and treatments will have a real and positive impact on people’s lives.”
Junk food adverts are now banned on TV before 9pm in the UK to ‘protect’ kids’ health
Emily Sergeant
Junk food advertisements are now banned on television before 9pm in the UK in a bid to help protect children’s health.
In what is being considered a ‘landmark’ move by the Government, as of today, adverts for less-healthy food and drinks will be banned on television before 9pm and online at all times, as part of world-leading action that is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, and reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000.
It’s also expected that this ‘decisive’ action will deliver around £2 billion in health benefits over time.
According to the Government, evidence shows that advertising influences what and when children eat – shaping their preferences from a young age, and ultimately increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses.
At the start of primary school, 22.1% of children in England are overweight or living with obesity, and this rises to 35.8% by the time they leave.
Junk food adverts are now banned on TV before 9pm in the UK / Credit: Alan Hardman | Kobby Mendez (via Unsplash)
This change is part of a range of measures that the Government is taking to ‘lift children out of poverty’ and help give them the ‘best start’ in life – with other measures being the introduction of the Healthy Food Standard, and giving local authorities the power to stop fast food shops opening outside schools.
“We promised to do everything we can to give every child the best and healthiest start in life,” explained Health Minister Ashley Dalton, as the junk food advert ban comes into force.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods – making the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and children.
“We’re moving the dial from having the NHS treat sickness, to preventing it so people can lead healthier lives and so it can be there for us when we need it.”
Featured Image – Karolina Kołodziejczak (via Unsplash)
The Manc -
16th September 2020 
