There’s normally something
uplifting about this time of year, even though the weather tends to be awful,
something enticing and exciting about the potential a new calendar year represents.
The arrival of this new
year however feels sombre and deflating as we find ourselves entering another
year of living with the pandemic. Two years of this has left many people
drained and wary of the future, especially when we thought the vaccine and
lockdowns last year would suffice to ‘send covid packing’, so it’s
understandable that this feels a strange one. I am sure, like lots of you, it
felt odd saying ‘Happy’ New Year when 2022 has started with so much challenge.
And this is
especially true for our services, as they have yet again come under the most
intense pressure leading up to Christmas and during the festive period, and this
has continued into the New Year. Things have been so incredibly tough,
particularly for our inpatient and CAMHS services.
We’ve had five
wards closed because of covid, with seven more wards under observation, which
has caused
significant issues with patient flow. But I know that many services are really
feeling the pinch, with unprecedented numbers of staff being off ill or having
to self-isolate with covid.
Teams have had to work tirelessly on an hour-by-hour,
day-by-day basis to make sure our services are staffed appropriately. I know
this has been really stressful.
Omicron has
proved even more impactful than previous variants, resulting in absences of
well over 10%, a previously unheard-of percentage, as we again face huge
patient demand. Covid is currently up close and personal in my family with
daughter and granddaughter all being ill with it, and now my clinically vulnerable
husband testing positive two days ago. Thank goodness for the vaccine, as so
far he hasn’t been very ill and I am touching wood this continues.
I know we
still have staff who for whatever reason haven’t felt able to have the vaccine,
but please, get it if you can. There are still people dying of covid and I find
it heart-breaking that we seem to have stopped telling their stories in the
media and become somewhat blasé about people losing their lives. That somehow,
because the vast majority of these individuals are unvaccinated, we can’t be
compassionate in the same way.
I hope I am
wrong on this, but whatever the reason, we should all continue to try and
understand people’s reasons, to try and address them with empathy and
appreciation, and encourage people where possible to have the vaccine. It is
literally a life saver.
Although it has been a difficult start to 2022,
there does appear to be a chink of light. The information I am getting from a
regional perspective does indicate that case rates are starting to decrease,
and that although the operational picture is still tight and difficult, it is
now stable. The next two weeks will no doubt be arduous, but we have to hope
that we are past the worst.
The Queen’s new year honours list provides an
opportunity to highlight people who have made a significant contribution over
the previous year, and whilst I can’t award titles, I do want to do my own
honours to acknowledge how hard you’ve had to work leading up to and over the
Christmas and new year period.
More like a shout-out than a fancy honour, but
nevertheless I want to recognise and thank all our leaders and service managers
who have worked so hard over the last few weeks to keep services going; kudos
and appreciation to the medical leadership which has been truly amazing over
the last few weeks and all those in our inpatient services who have worked
under extreme pressure.
Thank you to everyone who worked over the bank
holidays, particularly the night staff on New Year’s Eve which I know was
extraordinarily challenging. Also, our liaison mental health teams who
have had to manage very high A&E attendances with 136 suites closed.
A big shout out to the team in Stockport who
have worked collaboratively with Stepping Hill Hospital over the last year or
so and supported the department to move from a CQC rating of inadequate to good. Absolutely amazing.
And to all the many individuals and teams who
have worked together to try and unpick bed blockages to speed up safe patient
discharges, you deserve so much gratitude and applause. So, thank you, I know
it has been a very tough start to the New Year and that I haven’t been able to
mention everyone, but a massive big thank you and doffing of my hat to you all.
Even though it’s been a tremendously hard start
to 2022, please try and hold onto the hope that hearing about people’s efforts
and commitment as above inspires. We may not feel motivated enough to make the
New Year resolutions for change that we normally do, but I do hope that looking after your wellbeing and looking out
for others is the one resolution we can all aspire to.
In previous blogs I have
talked about the Chinese New Year which starts at the beginning of February,
and the animal that year symbolises, and for 2022 it’s a Tiger! So,
whilst we will undoubtedly still continue to feel some of the Tiger’s negative
attributes of being short-tempered, unpredictable and anxious, I hope we can on balance
find a way of nourishing and releasing our inner ‘Tiggers’ and the positive qualities of being
kind, adventurous, brave and enthusiastic.
Best wishes
Claire
You can follow me on Twitter @ClaireMolloy2
