Nurse describes shocking reality of life on the Covid frontline as Norfolk hospital calls in military for help

The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital has drafted in the military as it comes under continued pressure from rising coronavirus admissions.

The hospital is currently treating more than 300 patients with the virus and is seeing more in intensive care than the first wave.

Staff have been working round-the-clock to deliver the best care and now a critical care nurse has documented the shocking reality of life on the frontline in a video diary.

  • Lauren Jaques' video diary covering a 12-hour night shift

Lauren Jaques has worked in critical care at the hospital for almost nine years, but she says staff are exhausted and are "fighting every shift".

Trying to process all of that emotion - not just the emotional but the physical side too, while wearing all that PPE sometimes with little to no break, it's hard", Lauren added.

"It's heartbreaking, to see what everyone is going through. The patients, the relatives, the staff, it's really really hard..."

In a video covering a 12-hour night shift, Lauren documents the physical and mental toll the virus is having.

She's urging people to follow the rules as staff reach "breaking point" and has warned the worst is yet to come.

"Last time we got through it, we weren't necessarily on our knees, but we got through it", she said.

"But I would say we are reaching the point of breaking. We are normally catered for 24 beds - we have got over 50 patients across those areas, not just with coronavirus.

"We have also got the emergency admissions because people haven't stopped being poorly.

"People are still having cardiac arrests, people are still requiring emergency surgery that need intensive care. So Covid isn't just what we are dealing with, we are dealing with emergencies as well.

"We are not actually going to see the peak of Christmas for another week to week and a half, and everybody mixing from that.

"We are still running up to how bad it could be. We are trying our absolute best but we need people to help us. Help us to help you, because we are on our knees."

  • Watch the full interview with Lauren Jaques and ITV Anglia reporter Raveena Ghattaura

Local councils and the fire and rescue service are also being asked if they can provide staff, as the number of people needing a bed in intensive care has more than doubled.

"We are indebted to our NNUH staff and the local community for their offers of help during this extremely challenging time for the NHS", Sam Higginson, NNUH Chief Executive, said.

"Our Trust has recruited 100 new healthcare assistants to help us through this difficult period.

"We have requested the help from 30 military technicians to support our teams as healthcare assistants and fire service and council colleagues have offered assistance with non-clinical and support roles over the coming weeks.”