Jersey General Hospital 'operating as normal' despite demand rise

Health bosses are reassuring islanders that Jersey General Hospital is "operating as normal" despite an increase in demand.

It currently has more than 20 patients admitted for either Covid, flu or respiratory viruses.

Scrutiny leader Deputy Geoff Southern said the island's health service was struggling to cope with the demand.

However, director of Clinical Services, Claire Thompson, said the hospital was "not at crisis point".

She added the hospital had faced a "challenging" December.

Ms Thompson said surge beds, which are reserved for busy times, were used to cope with an increase in hospital admissions which had caused longer waiting times for islanders at the emergency department (ED).

She said: "These beds allow us to increase our capacity for caring for emergency patients, and are planned each year as part of our strategy to deal with winter pressures.

"Some patients who have attended the ED have had to wait longer than normal to be admitted, this is due to the high demand for isolation rooms which has occurred because of the number of respiratory viruses currently circulating."

Ms Thompson said waiting times had also increased due to staff sickness.

"I would like to reassure islanders that despite the increase in demand, this demand was expected and planned for - as it is every winter - and the hospital is still operating as normal with elective surgery taking place as planned," she said.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Karen Wilson, said no operations had been cancelled as a result of the use of surge beds.

She added "the day surgery suite which is usually closed over the Christmas period has reopened, the 'surge' capacity planned for has not been required at all times and people are being discharged home when medically fit".

Mr Southern said he was worried a larger outbreak of flu and Covid cases could overwhelm the hospital.

He said: "We think Covid is now over, but it's not, and the associated respiratory infections are also going up so we've actually got a crisis situation I think in the making."

Mr Southern said one in five posts at the hospital were not being filled, and the government was having to use locum and agency workers to "fill up the number of positions".

Deputy director of Public Health, Grace Norman, said she was "strongly encouraging islanders to stay home if unwell" to minimise the spread of seasonal illnesses.

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