The demand for IC capacity will become too great in the coming weeks, endangering the quality of care. That is what the heads of the intensive care units of the eight academic hospitals say to news hour. They therefore argue for political measures to reduce the infection rates.
The RIVM reported earlier today 8219 new positive tests, 243 more than yesterday. That is the highest number since the Dancing with Janssen peak of July 19. There are currently 1,122 people in hospital, 220 of whom are in the ICU. In addition, there are 538 people in ICU with non-covid complaints.
“As heads of the university intensive care units for adults, we have worked together with all healthcare professionals for more than a year and a half to provide the right ICU care for everyone who needed it,” the departments said in a joint statement. “We are now looking for the media because the water is up for grabs.”
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The risk of bigger problems increases. It is dangerous for the patient.
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The eight hospitals fear that they will no longer be able to provide the correct IC care in the event of overcrowding. “We do not consider the intended number of IC beds of 1350 feasible,” says Peter van der Voort, intensivist at the UMCG, on behalf of the hospitals. “In addition, with the expected 700 covid patients in the ICU, there are too few ICU beds left for non-covid care.”
The latter worries Van der Voort. “Scaling down is already taking place. This means that planned operations will not take place and corona treatments will. You have to think of patients with heart surgery, but also patients with cancer, and patients who need IC treatment due to an accident. risk of complications and metastases.”
Another problem is the shortage of staff. “Then we have to increase the number of beds per nurse, from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4. This will inevitably lead to a loss of quality. The risk of bigger problems increases. It is dangerous for the patient.”
According to Van der Voort, the training of new IC staff is in full swing, but it is simply not going fast enough. “Certainly, we do. We have increased the capacity of our training. But the training to become an ICU nurse lasts a year and a half, the first ones have yet to be completed. On balance, we now have fewer nurses.”
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Citizen and political measures
The hospitals are proposing measures to reduce the number of infections, such as increasing the vaccination rate and tightening mouth caps, keeping distance and hygiene.
They also advocate a booster shot for people who have already been vaccinated. “For example, from the age of forty, ultimately that is what the Health Council is about.”
Finally, restrictive measures should be considered for all places where unvaccinated people meet. “That can be churches on the Bible Belt, but also shops, catering, concerts and cinemas.”
The hospitals are appealing to both politicians and citizens. “We call on every Dutch person to do what is possible in his/her position to greatly reduce the number of infections. This applies to the cabinet and the House of Representatives, but also to all citizens themselves.”
Van der Voort will be at Nieuwsuur tonight to explain the statement. At 21.30 on NPO 2.
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