Hospital staff tested after some contract corona virus

Friday 29 January 2021

Staff at the hospital are being tested for Covid-19 after an unspecified number of staff contracted the virus.

Public Health Director Dr Nicola Brink confirmed that hospital staff have been affected, but would not elaborate further, citing patient confidentiality.

"I’m not going to comment on specific cases but yes there have been cases that have affected the hospital. We have done some broad testing across the hospital as our population would expect us to do.

Dr Brink said there are some staff in self-isolation as a result, but told the media briefing that the situation is being "managed" as well as possible. 

"We have been looking at all of this to ensure that our business continuity can occur in the hospital," she said. "I don’t want to discuss specific clinical answers but the answer is yes, we’re managing it and we’re putting in business continuity plans."

Pictured: Public Health Director Dr Nicola Brink. 

Senior hospital staff have this week put at a public appeal to protect the hospital, which is already experiencing a large number of admissions due to seasonal illnesses. 

Patients are being encouraged to agree to their discharge from hospital as soon as they are ready to return home.

Meanwhile, The PEH is currently closed to all visitors and all elective surgeries that had been scheduled for this week have been postponed. Anyone who has to attend the Emergency Department or other areas of the hospital need to have their temperature checked and social distance. All staff are wearing PPE. 

Maternity services have also been moved from the PEH to Lukis House in the Grange.