Major English hospital cancels vital operations as Covid admissions rise

16 July 2021, 15:03 | Updated: 16 July 2021, 15:26

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has cancelled dozens of operations at the last minute as Covid patients filled up the ICU wards.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has cancelled dozens of operations at the last minute as Covid patients filled up the ICU wards. Picture: PA

By Joe Cook

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has announced that all elective operations have been cancelled for 48 hours due to a shortage of intensive care beds, as Covid admissions rise.

Dozens of elective surgeries scheduled to happen on Thursday or Friday - including life saving liver transplants - were cancelled as the ICU was full to capacity.

The hospital has urged locals to get a Covid jab as cases and hospital admissions rise.

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Birmingham Trust said the cancelling and rescheduling of operations was forced "as a result of the number of very sick patients requiring emergency care".

"This is also contributed to by increasing numbers of inpatients with Covid requiring critical care," they explained.

Read more: NHS Covid app 'pingdemic' in numbers

Read more: England's Covid cases surge with 1 in every 95 people infected

James O'Brien's epic take on Covid rules and mixed messages

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals run by the trust increased to 166 on Friday, up 50 percent from Monday.

Of these, 30 were in intensive care as of Friday, up from 19 on Monday.

While bed shortages are reportedly the major factor behind the cancelling of operations, as of Thursday 1,091 staff were also absent, of which 275 were either self-isolating or had Covid-19.

Cancer surgeries at another Birmingham hospital run by the same trust have already postponed, according to The Independent.

Read more: Whitty warns UK 'could get into trouble fast' as daily Covid deaths rise to 63

Read more: NHS Covid app sends half a million alerts in a week amid staff shortage fears

We will never get back to normality until everybody is vaccinated

The news of another major hospital suspending operations comes after senior doctors this week warned Boris Johnson against lifting lockdown on Monday.

The British Medical Association (BMA) warned of "potentially devastating consequences" if all measures are eased as planned.

"The BMA has repeatedly warned of the rapidly rising infection rate and the crippling impact that Covid-related hospitalisations continue to have on the NHS, not only pushing staff to the brink of collapse but also driving up already lengthy waiting times for elective care," BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said.

"The prime minister repeatedly emphasised the importance of a slow and cautious approach but, in reality, the government is throwing caution to the wind by scrapping all regulations in one fell swoop."

Read more: 'Irresponsible': Senior doctors condemn PM's 19 July lockdown easing

Whitty: ‘We could get into trouble again surprisingly fast’

Ahead of 'Freedom Day' the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, released Friday, has estimated one in every 95 people in England had Covid-19 in the last week.

This is the highest number since the week to February 6 and the percentage of adults testing positive is estimated to be rising in all regions.

Speaking ahead of the latest data release, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty warned the number of people in hospital with coronavirus could reach "quite scary" levels within weeks.

Prof Whitty said the UK is "not out of the woods yet", just hours after Boris Johnson declared it was "highly probable" the worst of the pandemic is over.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Anthony Scaramucci said the row between Trump and Labour would blow over

'Anglophile' Trump's row with Starmer will have 'no impact' on wider relations with UK, Anthony Scaramucci says

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Exclusive
Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's "remarkable" foreign policy achievements

Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's 'near-death' experience

Live
US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls as election day arrives

US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls in the final race for the White House

Proud Boys claim they will go to voting places as Trump repeats election fraud lies.

Proud Boys making plans to mobilise as Trump repeats election fraud lies

File photo of a real NHS dentist

Desperate Brits fall for scam 'fake NHS dentists' amid years-long waits for appointments

The Kremlin is suspected of plotting the attack

'Parcel bombs' that blew up in warehouse were 'rehearsal' for Russian explosion attack on flight to US

Keir Starmer is not set to ban smoking in pub gardens, contrary to earlier reports

Cigarettes will not be banned in pub gardens under new Labour plan create 'smoke-free generation'

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Reading, Pennsylvania

Trump threatens Mexico with 100% tariffs unless it cracks down on border crossings

Bridget Phillipson told Tonight with Andrew Marr that the fee hike was necessary to secure the future of universities.

‘Universities must reform’ says education secretary after first hike in tuition fees in 8 years

Two more cases of a new strain of mpox have been detected in the UK, officials say

Two more cases of new mpox strain detected in UK

Anya Taylor-Joy and her musician husband were the victims of a terrifying robbery

Anya Taylor-Joy and musician husband victims of burglary at London mansion

Exclusive
Nigel Farage speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari about new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch

'The Remainers are back in town': Nigel Farage says Kemi Badenoch will bring 'no change whatsoever' to Tories

Amy Dowden

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden will not return to show this year following 'medical emergency'

Scott Paterson murdered his landlady Annette Smith

Tenant murdered and dismembered elderly landlady before posing as her by sending Christmas cards to family

Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel and Mel Stride will all serve in Kemi Badenoch's Shadow Cabinet

Kemi Badenoch names former leadership rivals Robert Jenrick and Priti Patel to Tory Shadow Cabinet team