London’s hospitals will be overwhelmed by Covid patients in TWO weeks, stark NHS briefing warns 

London’s hospitals will be overwhelmed by Covid patients in TWO weeks in a BEST CASE scenario with 2,000 beds needed even after Nightingale is opened, stark NHS briefing warns

  • London hospitals will be overwhelmed in less than two weeks, report warns 
  • Medical director at NHS England London provided the worrying analysis
  • Even if the number of coronavirus patients grew at the lowest likely rate and capacity is increased, the NHS would still be short 2,000 beds, it was claimed

London’s hospitals will be overwhelmed by Covid in less than two weeks even in a ‘best’ case scenario, an official briefing reportedly warns. 

Vin Diwakar, medical director at NHS England London, provided the worrying analysis to medical directors of the capital’s hospital trusts over a Zoom call this afternoon. 

Even if the number of coronavirus patients grew at the lowest likely rate and capacity is increased, including opening London’s Nightingale hospital, the NHS would still be short 2,000 general and acute and intensive care beds by January 19, the HSJ reports. 

Three scenarios are laid out for both G&A and intensive care – ‘best’, ‘average’ and ‘worse’. These account for the impact of four per cent daily growth, five per cent growth and six per cent growth respectively. 

Growth for G&A beds on January 5 was 3.5 per cent, with the rate at 4.8 per cent for ICU beds, reports claim.

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Even if the number of coronavirus patients grew at the lowest likely rate and capacity is increased, including opening London’s Nightingale hospital, the NHS would still be short 2,000 general and acute and intensive care beds by January 19, the HSJ reports (stock image)