Coronavirus: "NHS not equipped well enough" according to doctor
16 March 2020, 16:33
Whether the NHS can cope with the numbers that will need its service in the coming weeks and months has been a major question in the coronavirus outbreak.
An NHS worker living in London joined Nick Ferrari to express his concern for the preparation the NHS has made in the Covid-19 fight.
"I don't think the NHS is equipped well enough" Mark told Nick. He shared his worry about how the health system is coping as it stands and didn't seem optimistic for the future.
"I don't know if I'm coming in contact with patients that do have it, and I may be taking it home" said Mark. He told Nick that his parents are in the demographic most at risk and feels as though his children may pass it onto them, should he be exposed.
Nick was taken aback and shared his sympathies with the caller while digging further into the flaws in the health system. He asked Mark where he believed the weaknesses in the NHS were.
Mark's main concern was that the NHS didn't have enough ventilators. Along with that issue, he pointed out that even if the NHS was sufficiently stocked with ventilators, they don't have the staff numbers to operate them.
His concern was coming from a place that there doesn't seem to be any effort to bring up staffing numbers. Mark also shared a worry that if any other services shut, such as schools, he along with other doctors won't be able to work.
According to Mark, the system is hanging by a thread.
On the question of low staff numbers, Nick asked if the hospital workers are being provided with the appropriate equipment to protect themselves from transmission.
"If you get deployed into different areas then we will be fitted" Mark began, but told Nick that protecting staff moving between departments is pointless as the workers are out of their comfort zone when moved from one department to another.
