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Intensive care flu plans unveiled UK 'close' to winning flu fight
(42 minutes later)
Plans are being put in place across the UK to double the number of intensive care beds if there is a surge in demand because of swine flu. The UK is "tantalisingly" close to winning the battle against swine flu, the chief medical officer says.
A second wave of infections is expected in the coming months and could put severe strain on health services. Sir Liam Donaldson explained while past pandemics claimed tens of thousands of lives, the death toll for the current one was being kept relatively low.
Ministers have responded by asking NHS chiefs to prepare for the worst. But he warned he was still expecting a surge of cases during the autumn and winter months.
Hospitals are now training extra staff, managers purchasing new ventilators and plans being put in place to cancel non-emergency surgery. And just in case the next wave proved particularly bad, he unveiled plans to double intensive care bed numbers.
As well as setting up temporary intensive care units, the plans also involve putting extra equipment into high dependency units - the level below intensive care.
I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officerI think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer
It will mean the number of adult beds would increase to well over 4,000. Sir Liam said the use of anti-flu drugs and the forthcoming vaccine programme meant the signs were encouraging.
However, ministers admitted they may struggle to double the number of beds for children, which currently stands at just over 300. There were only a further five deaths in the past week bringing the overall total in the UK to 75 since the swine flu outbreak began.
"I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus.
"In past [pandemics] we have had to take whatever it has thrown at us."
Nonetheless, Sir Liam said it was only right that the NHS should still plan for the worst case scenario.
Earlier this week the Tories had said emergency planning for critical care was the weak link in the flu preparations.
Ministers had already started drawing up proposals and these have now been unveiled.
Pressure
The strategy means the number of adult beds could increase to well over 4,000 across the UK if there was severe pressure on beds.
However, officials admitted they may struggle to double the number of beds for children, which currently stands at just over 300.
It may mean some older children being treated in adult units if there are large numbers of severely ill patients.It may mean some older children being treated in adult units if there are large numbers of severely ill patients.
The announcement comes after the Tories branded critical care plans the weak link in the government's preparations for the pandemic. To expand services on this scale, hospitals have been asked to train extra staff.
New ventilators are also being purchased.
But as well as setting up temporary intensive care units, the plans also involve putting extra equipment into high dependency units - the level below intensive care.
Ian Dalton, the national director for flu, said the decision to introduce the measures would not be taken lightly, but added the NHS may have to prioritise and turn-away non-urgent cases to save lives.Ian Dalton, the national director for flu, said the decision to introduce the measures would not be taken lightly, but added the NHS may have to prioritise and turn-away non-urgent cases to save lives.
He added: "Clearly nobody knows whether the measures will be needed, but it would be inappropriate if we did not look into this."He added: "Clearly nobody knows whether the measures will be needed, but it would be inappropriate if we did not look into this."
Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, agreed the NHS should plan for the worst case scenario.
But he also said the UK had done very well at minimising the impact of swine flu.
Virus
"I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus.
"In past [pandemics] we have had to take whatever it has thrown at us."
He went on to explain that instead of talking about tens of thousands of lives being lost, the death toll would be much lower.
A further five deaths have been confirmed in the past week, bringing the total to 75 in the UK.
The number of new infections per week has continued to fall to just over 3,000 in England, compared to 100,000 at the end of July.
A small rise has been seen in Scotland over the last seven days, but this was deemed not to be significant.
However, Sir Liam warned there would still be a rise in cases over the winter.