NHS hospital in Boris Johnson’s constituency closes A&E for emergency admissions after Covid-19 outbreak leaves 70 staff in self-isolation
- The Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge began to divert ambulances last night
- But walk in casualty patients are still being treated, according to reports
- Hospital bosses today revealed 70 members of staff are currently self-isolating
A hospital in the Prime Minister’s constituency has closed to emergency admissions because of an outbreak of coronavirus among staff, it was revealed today.
The Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge began to divert ambulances last night, sending patients to other NHS hospitals in London.
But walk in casualty patients — whose conditions don’t tend to be life-threatening — are still being treated, according to reports.
Hospital bosses today revealed 70 members of staff are currently self-isolating, and ‘a number of whom’ have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge began to divert ambulances last night, sending patients to other NHS hospitals in London
The Hillingdon Hospital is located in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Mr Johnson has contacted the hospital in his capacity as the local MP, Downing Street said.
His official spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister was in touch with the hospital yesterday in his capacity as the local MP to check that the hospital had the support which it needs.’
In a statement, the Hillingdon Hospitals Foundation Trust — which runs the hospital — told The Independent an outbreak of Covid-19 was declared on Friday.
It said: ‘As of Tuesday, July 7, 70 members of staff were isolating, a number of whom have tested positive for Covid-19.
‘As a result, the trust has taken the precautionary decision to close Hillingdon Hospital to emergency ambulances and emergency admissions.’
The statement added: ‘The trust is managing the outbreak in line with Public Health England guidance.’
The trust told MailOnline that any impact on patient care ‘has been kept to an absolute minimum and there is no disruption to the care of our current patients’.
It is currently unclear whether any patients were infected or how long it will be shut to new emergency admissions for.
Officials have also not revealed which hospitals emergency patients will be taken to instead. Other departments are thought to still be open.
The trust’s chief executive Sarah Tedford said she was treating the outbreak with the ‘utmost seriousness’, according to the Evening Standard.
In a message to staff this morning, she reportedly said a number of staff in one area of the Hillingdon hospital had tested positive for Covid-19 or are self-isolating.
The newspaper reports the outbreak is thought to be centered around one eight-bed ward — but it is unclear which part of the hospital it is in.
Ms Tedford said: ‘A number of immediate actions are being taken to limit the spread of the infection.’
This included more cleaning, reviewing infection control procedures, reinforcing hand hygiene and reinforcing social distancing.
She added: ‘As a result, the trust has taken the decision to close Hillingdon hospital to emergency ambulances and emergency admissions.’
Hillingdon Hospital — which employs 3,500 staff — also serves residents in Ealing, Harrow, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
It is not the first hospital that has been forced to shut because of a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Weston General Hospital, in Somerset, closed its doors to all new patients for three weeks due to an outbreak. It only reopened in mid-June.
At the height of its crisis, 40 per cent of staff were claimed to have had symptoms of coronavirus, such as a cough, fever or a loss of taste or smell.