Covid rules STILL apply at Northampton General Hospital as virus continues to spread, say healthcare bosses

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire say they will be asking people to stick to the ‘Hands, Face, Space’ rules at both Kettering and Northampton hospitals as Covid cases continue to rise.

A Northamptonshire NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said that while some measures are being relaxed from Monday, July 19, NHS England has said that within hospitals, and other healthcare settings, the requirements tor the wearing of masks, maintaining social distance and regular hand washing continue.

In a joint statement, Northampton General Hospital’s director of nursing and midwifery Sheran Oke, and Kettering General Hospital’s director of nursing and quality, Leanne Hackshall, said:

“The increase in the number of Covid cases, both across the country, and locally, is having an impact on the Northamptonshire’s hospitals, leading to a concerning growth in Covid-related hospital admissions and also in staff absences due to Covid infections in the community.”

Covid inpatient numbers at the two hospitals have doubled over the last week. On July 7 there were four inpatients at Kettering General Hospital and seven at Northampton with Covid-19 Today (July 16) there were eight at Kettering and 16 at Northampton.

Staff absences at the two hospitals are also rising. There are currently 136 staff from the two hospitals who are absent due to the need to isolate. A number that has almost doubled over the past month.

Sheran said: “The people of Northamptonshire have been fantastic over the last 15 months in sticking to restrictions, particularly on the hospital site, and we want them to continue to support us. They can do this by wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and frequent hand-washing. This will protect us and it will protect our patients.

“If you or your loved one had a compromised immune system or were recovering after a serious operation, you would want us to do everything we could to keep them safe. Patients with these conditions are being treated in our hospitals every day, so we need to keep rules in place for a bit longer."