Southend Hospital oxygen supply reaches 'Critical Situation'
A critical situation has been declared at Southend Hospital after oxygen supplies were found to be running low.
In a letter sent to staff, the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust said that the amount of oxygen used to treat patients at the hospital should be reduced to save resources, but the trust insisted that no patient would come to harm as a result.
The managing director of the hospital, Yvonne Blucher, said the shortage was caused by the high demand for oxygen after an increase in Covid-19 patients. She urged the public to stay safe at home.
"All patients should have a target saturation of 88-92%. Patients with a saturation above 92% which are on oxygen should have their oxygen weaned within the target range."
"I can assure all that maintaining saturations within this target range is safe and no patient will come to harm as a result," she added.
Essex has some of the highest Covid-19 case rates in the country. In the seven days to January 4, Southend had a rate of 1,234.7 new cases per 100,000 people, with 2,261 new cases recorded.