Covid patients on Plymouth ICU ward '80%' unvaccinated, doctor reveals

Dr Stuart Dickson, ICU Consultant at Derriford Hospital.

An intensive care consultant working at a hospital in Plymouth has told ITV News that as many as 80% of patients on his ward are unvaccinated.

Derriford Hospital - which is one of the South West's largest hospitals - declared a critical incident on Tuesday, meaning it is struggling to deliver essential care and requires support from other NHS trusts in the region.

Dr Stuart Dickson, an ICU consultant at the hospital, warned people who decide not to get a vaccine are potentially putting others at risk.

He revealed some patients on his ward have been admitted along with "several" other members of their family.

'They express regret'

"Many of the patients who come here are unvaccinated and as they start to talk to members of our staff they begin to express some feeling of regret," he said.

"I think very sadly we quite often see the decision to be unvaccinated goes further than just a personal decision, but is actually a family decision.

"Those are the ones which are probably even more difficult because often we see not just one member of a family admitted to hospital, but sometimes several."

During the seven days up to December 31, there were 3,281 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Plymouth.

As of January 5, the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said 99 Covid-positive patients were being treated at Derriford and its three community hospitals.

When asked about the current situation at Derriford, Dr Dickson said intensive care is a "terrifying" place for patients to be.

He said: "Coming to intensive care with Covid is probably one of the most terrifying things a patient can do.

"They know the nature of the infection they've got and they know they're being taken to the intensive care unit where all patients have that infection.

'Some of our patients will sadly die'

"Some of those patients will get by on non-evasive ventilations and other forms of respiratory support, but some will end up being in induced comas and fully ventilated.

"Some of our patients will develop full-blown multi-organ failure and some of our patients will sadly die."

Bosses at Derriford have warned this winter could be the most challenging it has ever faced as the Omicron variant leads to considerable staff shortages, with almost 500 members of staff absent due to Covid.

Dr Dickson praised the staff working at the hospital for their "incredible" work.

He said: "The staff in intensive care have been working incredibly hard, they work with fairly cumbersome protective equipment and the nature of the work is extremely challenging.

"They are extremely professional and have stepped up to that and in good spirit have continued to provide the care for all of our patients."