Intensive Care staff admit they feel 'overwhelmed' at impact of Covid-19 pandemic
Watch an exclusive report by Graham Stothard
Staff at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge have described the situation on the wards as 'overwhelming'.
Hospitals across the east have reported that they are busier with coronavirus now than at the peak of the first wave.
A critical situation has been declared at Southend Hospital after oxygen supplies were found to be running low. Milton Keynes Council has also declared a major incident as a result of additional pressure brought on by the virus.
Papworth is being used to take pressure off other parts of the region. Taking patients from towns where hospital facilities are being stretched to their limit, but even here they feeling the strain.
Those most gravely ill are put on ECMO machines which oxygenate the blood, bypassing the lungs. Normally Papworth has maximum of five ready for use at any one time. They now have 20.
As patient numbers increase, more of the hospital is being given over to treating Covid patients. So one of the day wards is now a critical care ward. Respiratory wards, surgical wards cardiology wards, are all being repurposed
ITV News Anglia was given exclusive access to the world renowned hospital and had a chance to talk to some of the patients and staff.
Erica Donnelly is recovering from the virus. She can barely speak. She has cystic fibrosis, so her covid diagnosis was devastating. And just a few days ago, she thought she might die.
The effects of the virus can be debilitating.
Claire Surridge is a patient a couple of rooms down from where Erica is being treated. When she first came round after being in a coma she couldn’t remember who the Prime Minister was, or even the year.
The workload is immense. As more nurses from all departments are drafted into intensive care, other staff fill the places left. Physiotherapists, healthcare scientists, pharmacists all helping out.
Watch an interview about the pressures on the NHS with Dr Sean O'Kelly, regional director NHS East
As they change to cope with demand, staff fear people aren’t taking the spread of the virus seriously enough.
Samantha Henman, Respiratory And Ambulatory Head Nurse said:
Kevin Lygo has been in since before Christmas. He was transferred from a hospital in Essex. He recently learned one of his friends passed away from the virus. When asked if he thought people were taking coronavirus seriously enough he said:
Sentiments echoed by fellow Essex transferee Dell.
"It knocked me over like a train. I was walking about at work on roofs week before Christmas like there's nothing wrong with me I'm a plumber fit as a fiddle couple of days later I'm in here. It is serious, very serious."