Testing for NHS staff is 'not accessible enough' and fighting coronavirus is like 'going to battle' says Dr Alex George
Coronavirus testing for NHS staff is not accessible enough, says Dr Alex George, who told ITV News going to work in A&E every day is like "going to battle".
Dr Alex, A&E doctor at Lewisham Hospital, told the Calling Peston podcast - which will be published later - he believes there's a "long way to go" before testing is at the level it needs to be.
He welcomed testing facilities being opened across the country but said the ideally "need to have [testing] available really within our trusts".
"I don’t think the NHS testing is accessible as it needs to be, we’ve got a long way to go, we need to be able to essentially, in my opinion, have tests at the point of care in our own trusts so that we can get the answer very very quickly, it’s absolutely vital," he told podcast host Daniel Hewitt.
Despite having several years experience as a doctor, he said he's needing to prepare himself mentally ahead of every shift.
He said: "There’s no doubt that we are almost going into battle at the moment, I think we all have that mindset when we go into work.
"As I drive to A&E I often prepare myself mentally for what we’re going to experience, what we’re going to see and when you go into those doors you know it’s going to be a difficult scenario that you’re facing, there’s no hiding from that."
He said the frequency of trauma in his hospital is affecting the mental health of the staff, but said the NHS is "very good at supporting each other when we need it".
He said the trust he works at is "looking at how we can have wellness support for staff, so how we can actually start supporting staff on the front line who may be are struggling".
"It is difficult for any member of staff to experience the number of patients that we’re seeing that are really unwell, regardless sometimes whether they die or not, it’s still upsetting," he added.
He acknowledged the risk all staff take each day going to work and said the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) "absolutely vital".
"There are risks, I have colleagues who’ve been unwell and off work, I’ve heard of the passing of doctors, nurses and midwives around the UK - it’s awful to hear but we all know there is that risk," he said.
"Any cases where people are running out of PPE, we can’t accept that."
Despite the risk, he said he could not forgive himself if he was not working.
"There’s no part of me that would want to step back and not go and do my bit.
"I would never forgive myself, it would never cross my mind, but you want to do your part, you're a doctor, you're a nurse, you went into this profession because you want to help."
He also thanked the public for staying at home but urged it to continue through the Easter weekend.
He said he thinks clapping on Thursday nights for the NHS is an "incredible" thing, but the "biggest thing you can do to support us on the frontline in the NHS is stay at home and to practice social distancing measures".
"Please do stay at home protect yourselves, your family your colleagues and ultimately make a difference," he added.
The Calling Peston podcast brings you up to speed with the big political stories, with new episodes released every week.
Daniel Hewitt and Shehab Khan from the ITV News politics team chat through the week's big talking points - and call Political Editor Robert Peston to get his take on it all.
You can listen and subscribe to Calling Peston wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.