Agenda item

Flo Panel-Coates, Chief Nurse and Alex Gregg, Head of Performance were present for discussion of this item, and made a presentation to the Committee, copy interleaved, during which the following main points were made –

·         COVID 19 – normally 62 intensive care beds and the Trust created another 61 beds outside the normal intensive care area. At the peak of the second wave there were 118 (85) COVID in ICU

·         A further 34 beds outside ICU were opened where non-invasive ventilation could be provided

·         In the first wave up to 170 beds were occupied by COVID patients. In the second wave over 250 beds were occupied. There have been 1500 COVID admissions and in the first wave 186 deaths and in the second wave 211 to date

·         Contributing to knowledge about COVID 19 – CPAP devise, quick to open clinical trials, UCLH main test site for Oxford vaccine, key partner in post-hospital COVID study, UCLH study pinpoints loss of smell as key symptom, taking part in real time viral genomic data, UCLH does first patient in world in monoclonal antibody trial

·         UCLH has vaccinated 30000 people, at least 74% of front line staff vaccinated, working hard to reach those groups not taking up vaccine at present

·         Impact of COVID on waiting times for treatment – significant impact, nationally managing patients on clinical based priority, assisting neighbouring Trusts, rise in patients waiting over 52 weeks, much longer wait for diagnostics

·         Longer wait for cancer and the impact of waiting for more than 62 days for treatment was more significant in first wave. Urgent cancer surgery has continued in both surges

·         Noted performance good in A&E during COVID period

·         In response to a question as to whether staff members had suffered from long COVID it was stated that some staff had suffered from long COVID and work is taking place across London on this

·         The COVID period had been a very stressful time for staff and measures had been put in place to identify staff stress and provide counselling

·         Strategic developments – new building in Grafton Way will be home to only two NHS proton beam therapy centres in the UK and will also comprise Europe’s largest blood disorder treatment centre and a short stay surgical service

·         Significant financial challenges – Trust if forecasting a £6.2m deficit and within this the Trust is anticipating an underspend of £11.9m on strategic growth projects mostly because of a delay of the Grafton Way building. There is a commitment to return any unspent funding to NCL for redistribution. The Trust is also forecasting additional COVID costs, £4.2m higher than planned, which was provisionally agreed to be funded by the NCL sector, however they hoped that they would not carry a large deficit into the next financial year

·         In response to a question it was stated that a vaccination centre was being established at Islington Business Design Centre

·         Reference was made to the low take up of some staff at UCLH, particularly amongst black staff and it was stated that work is taking place to understand the reasons for this and to work with staff

·         In response to a question it was stated that UCLH had attempted to prevent any delays in burials

·         It was stated that the diagnostic service had kept running during COVID and that some treatments had continued and the independent sector had assisted in this

The Chair thanked Flo Panel-Coates and Alexandra Gregg for attending