THE Hospital has been forced to postpone a small number of non-urgent operations amid a bed shortage caused by a record number of Covid-19 cases among patients.
Latest figures show a total of 44 patients who are currently hospitalised have tested positive for Covid – out of an Islandwide total of 2,050 positive cases. There are currently 44 positive cases within care homes.
The sharp climb in numbers of those hospitalised, up from 11 on Friday 25 February, came ahead of a meeting next week at which public-health experts and ministers are to consider when the Island will take the next steps in moving away from the emergency phase of the pandemic.
Statistics published via the gov.je website show that before this week, the highest figure for those in hospital during the recent Omicron wave was 30 on 24 January. A higher figure of 33 was recorded on 18 December 2020, a few days after the first Covid vaccines were administered in Jersey.
Former assistant health minister Steve Pallett said he had been contacted by a senior clinician who had spelled out the impact of the current situation on the Hospital.
Senator Pallett said he had been told that there were no free beds currently, with patients arriving at the Hospital being held in the Emergency Department until space became available, and Covid patients now being treated in Plémont Ward.
Having recently campaigned successfully for the return of rehabilitation patients from Plémont Ward to the Samarès unit at Overdale, Senator Pallett said he was trying to find out where these patients were currently being treated.
‘It’s concerning if this situation has impacted those who have been rehabilitating in the Hospital,’ he said.
‘Are they being discharged, and are there arrangements in place to ensure they continue to receive care?’
A small number of non-urgent elective surgeries have been postponed, although the Health Department did not respond to a request to outline the extent of the postponements.
The JEP also asked the Health Department on Thursday morning to clarify the vaccination status of those Covid patients in Hospital, how many were in intensive care and a breakdown of whether they were there as a result of Covid-19, or had been admitted for other reasons.
Members of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell are expected to meet on Monday to give their views on the timing of the next stages of de-escalation, with ministers due to finalise the details later in the week.
Ministers announced in late January that the process of de-escalation would begin on 1 February, when workfrom-home guidance ended and the legal requirement to wear masks was removed. This was followed by the suspension of the Safer Travel Policy on 7 February.
The legal requirement for those who have tested positive to isolate is currently due to end by 31 March.
