Major improvements are needed to ensure the country is better protected against flooding, reports the Eastern Daily Press.
Two new reports are set to highlight that Britain was ill-prepared for last summer's floods, which caused devastation across large parts of the country, and that eastern England is particularly under threat.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) report - The Flooding: Engineering Resilience - warns the UK's power, water and transport systems are stretched to the limit and need extra capacity to prevent blackouts and shortages when the country is hit by floods in the future.
In a special section on the east of England, the ICE report states that drainage systems in places like Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge are already working at full capacity and that pressure would only be increased as the region moves towards meeting its target of building 500,000 new homes by 2021.
The vulnerability of the Norfolk Broads and major Suffolk roads such as the A12 are also highlighted, should controversial proposals to abandon flood defences along 25 square miles go ahead.
“No other area of the UK is in such real and immediate danger from flooding as the East of England. It's at risk from all sides: coastal erosion and flooding, tidal surges, river flooding and overflowing drains in towns and cities,” the report states.
ICE said investment in new infrastructure had been reduced by economic and regulatory pressure to a point where “there is no longer any spare capacity available to provide alternative sources of power or water treatment should key utilities be compromised by flooding”.
The report also said funding for flood defences was not sufficient or secure, undermining industry confidence, and there were not enough skilled engineers to deliver protection from flooding.
The ICE report coincides with the release of a government-commissioned review from Sir Michael Pitt, which contains 92 recommendations on how Britain should be better equipped in the event of future flooding crises.
Britain's vulnerability was highlighted this time last year when places such as Hull were devastated by flooding. Then, in November, communities along the Norfolk and Suffolk coastline narrowly missed being swamped by a North Sea tidal surge.
Sir Michael's recommendations include local authorities being given a more clearly-defined leadership role in overseeing the maintenance of drainage networks, a joint nerve centre from which the Met Office and Environment Agency can issue better flood warnings and new building regulations detailing drainage systems and appropriate construction materials.
A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the government was working to ensure that infrastructure was resistant to flooding and robust back-up was in place where it was most needed.
She added: “Work includes assessing the vulnerability of infrastructure to natural hazards and working with industry and operators to ensure it's resilient. More details on this work will be provided as part of our formal response to the Pitt report.”
Showing posts with label norwich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label norwich. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Norfolk: Bed crisis sparks hospitals alert
Hospitals across the east of England have been placed on "black alert" as staff and wards are overwhelmed by high patient numbers - reports the BBC.
Non-urgent cases have been sent home after up to 10 ambulances were left queuing outside one hospital.
Few or no beds are free at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, and the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, both in Norfolk.
People with minor injuries have been urged not to attend A&E.
The alert status means plans designed to enable staff to cope with major incidents, such as terrorist attacks and train crashes, are put into action.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), which announced it had reached the emergency status on Wednesday afternoon, managers worked with other agencies to discharge non-urgent patients from the 1,000-bed hospital to create space.
However, the hospital said that between 60 and 70 beds were still being blocked because patients who were medically fit to leave had no where to go.
Paramedics treated patients in ambulances outside the NNUH on Wednesday evening.
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "Most things we can manage - it only becomes critical to get someone out of the ambulance and into the hospital if someone is bleeding to death or in full cardiac arrest needing resuscitation.
"There were serious condition patients but they were being treated at the NNUH by hospital staff."
NNUH spokesman Andrew Stronach said there was no single incident that brought on the beds crisis.
"It's just general run of the mill problems, like chest pains, collapses, diarrhoea and vomiting."
The James Paget hospital and the Queen Elizabeth in Kings Lynn said there were sufficient beds, but a sudden change in the weather was putting extra pressure on them.
Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, said the hospital was regularly well above the safe occupancy level of 85%.
He said: "If there was to be a flu epidemic this winter then we've got a major crisis.
"Across the country we're seeing occupancy rates increasing. There's also evidence that you run an increased risk of hospital acquired infections if you've got a hospital that's literally full.
"This is a serious problem and yet there appears to be nothing being done to increase the capacity to ensure that there's enough beds to treat patients."
Milton Keynes and Hertfordshire health officials have said they are not on alert, but Bedford Hospital has been on red alert since Friday.
In Suffolk, Ipswich Hospital said it had very few beds but was managing the situation and a spokesman for the West Suffolk Hospital said its alert had been caused by sickness bugs.
Norfolk MPs Norman Lamb and Henry Bellingham can fairly claim to be doing their best to ensure local hospital services have the facilities and resources they need to avoid situations like this developing - by opposing the payment of an extra £7bn to the audit-failing European Union.
However, Tony Wright MP for Great Yarmouth and Ian Gibson MP for Norwich North both voted on Monday to approve this unjustifiable extra multi-billion-pound spending on the wasteful EU, so can hardly claim to be doing their best for essential local services.
Local voters need only wait a likely 18 months for the next general election, to let them know what they think of such irresponsible decision-making.
Non-urgent cases have been sent home after up to 10 ambulances were left queuing outside one hospital.
Few or no beds are free at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, and the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, both in Norfolk.
People with minor injuries have been urged not to attend A&E.
The alert status means plans designed to enable staff to cope with major incidents, such as terrorist attacks and train crashes, are put into action.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), which announced it had reached the emergency status on Wednesday afternoon, managers worked with other agencies to discharge non-urgent patients from the 1,000-bed hospital to create space.
However, the hospital said that between 60 and 70 beds were still being blocked because patients who were medically fit to leave had no where to go.
Paramedics treated patients in ambulances outside the NNUH on Wednesday evening.
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "Most things we can manage - it only becomes critical to get someone out of the ambulance and into the hospital if someone is bleeding to death or in full cardiac arrest needing resuscitation.
"There were serious condition patients but they were being treated at the NNUH by hospital staff."
NNUH spokesman Andrew Stronach said there was no single incident that brought on the beds crisis.
"It's just general run of the mill problems, like chest pains, collapses, diarrhoea and vomiting."
The James Paget hospital and the Queen Elizabeth in Kings Lynn said there were sufficient beds, but a sudden change in the weather was putting extra pressure on them.
Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, said the hospital was regularly well above the safe occupancy level of 85%.
He said: "If there was to be a flu epidemic this winter then we've got a major crisis.
"Across the country we're seeing occupancy rates increasing. There's also evidence that you run an increased risk of hospital acquired infections if you've got a hospital that's literally full.
"This is a serious problem and yet there appears to be nothing being done to increase the capacity to ensure that there's enough beds to treat patients."
Milton Keynes and Hertfordshire health officials have said they are not on alert, but Bedford Hospital has been on red alert since Friday.
In Suffolk, Ipswich Hospital said it had very few beds but was managing the situation and a spokesman for the West Suffolk Hospital said its alert had been caused by sickness bugs.
Norfolk MPs Norman Lamb and Henry Bellingham can fairly claim to be doing their best to ensure local hospital services have the facilities and resources they need to avoid situations like this developing - by opposing the payment of an extra £7bn to the audit-failing European Union.
However, Tony Wright MP for Great Yarmouth and Ian Gibson MP for Norwich North both voted on Monday to approve this unjustifiable extra multi-billion-pound spending on the wasteful EU, so can hardly claim to be doing their best for essential local services.
Local voters need only wait a likely 18 months for the next general election, to let them know what they think of such irresponsible decision-making.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Norfolk: Flagship hospital at full capacity
Norfolk's flagship hospital last night reassured patients that it was open for emergency admissions and routine operations, despite reaching maximum capacity - according to the Eastern Daily Press.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was yesterday placed on the highest state of alert following a large volume of admissions over the weekend.
Three other East of England hospitals, including the West Suffolk Hospital at Bury St Edmunds were also classed as being on “black alert” following an unusually high number of patients being transferred to Accident and Emergency and Emergency Assessment Units.
Officials at the Norfolk and Norwich yesterday urged local GPs to look into alternative treatment plans for their patients and to avoid referrals as much as possible, whilst the hospital aimed to speed up discharge arrangements for those medically fit to leave in a bid to address the “critical” bed capacity issue.
However, the hospital confirmed that scheduled operations would continue as usual and there were currently no plans to turn away emergency admissions to the James Paget Hospital at Gorleston and Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King's Lynn, which are at amber and green alert levels respectively.
Hospitals at Hinchingbrooke, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough were also placed on black alert, whilst Ipswich and Addenbrooke's, in Cambridge, were on red alert - the second highest pressure score.
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital spokesman Andrew Stronach said it had been an “extremely busy” weekend for emergency admissions and equally busy yesterday with GP referrals, which had no link to bonfire night celebrations or any winter bugs.
“We are full. There is no more room in the inn, so we make sure that we can discharge as many patients as we can and free up beds for emergencies. If GPs can manage their patients without admitting to hospital, that would be much appreciated.
“There is no rhyme or reason to it. It was just a high volume of medical illnesses and surgery cases over the weekend and today (Monday),” he said.
Mr Stronach added that it was “not particularly unusual” for the flagship hospital to be on black alert and had been in the same situation 27 times last year.
Hospitals can be placed on black alert for a variety of reasons such as a rapid rise in emergency admissions, severe lack of beds, low staff numbers, or system failure and can be resolved in the most extreme cases by stopping new admissions, routine operations and transferring new patients elsewhere.
Jonathan Cook, director of corporate services for Norfolk Primary Care Trust, said: “We are confident that we have robust procedures in place to ensure that we deal with these emergency admission problems appropriately and assist the Norfolk and Norwich by avoiding non-urgent GP referrals.
We continue to work with our colleagues at the hospital and will monitor the situation extremely closely.”
A spokeswoman from the West Suffolk Hospital added: “We are on black alert because of an unusual high volume of A&E admissions, but these things happen and we are coping with it.”
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was yesterday placed on the highest state of alert following a large volume of admissions over the weekend.
Three other East of England hospitals, including the West Suffolk Hospital at Bury St Edmunds were also classed as being on “black alert” following an unusually high number of patients being transferred to Accident and Emergency and Emergency Assessment Units.
Officials at the Norfolk and Norwich yesterday urged local GPs to look into alternative treatment plans for their patients and to avoid referrals as much as possible, whilst the hospital aimed to speed up discharge arrangements for those medically fit to leave in a bid to address the “critical” bed capacity issue.
However, the hospital confirmed that scheduled operations would continue as usual and there were currently no plans to turn away emergency admissions to the James Paget Hospital at Gorleston and Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King's Lynn, which are at amber and green alert levels respectively.
Hospitals at Hinchingbrooke, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough were also placed on black alert, whilst Ipswich and Addenbrooke's, in Cambridge, were on red alert - the second highest pressure score.
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital spokesman Andrew Stronach said it had been an “extremely busy” weekend for emergency admissions and equally busy yesterday with GP referrals, which had no link to bonfire night celebrations or any winter bugs.
“We are full. There is no more room in the inn, so we make sure that we can discharge as many patients as we can and free up beds for emergencies. If GPs can manage their patients without admitting to hospital, that would be much appreciated.
“There is no rhyme or reason to it. It was just a high volume of medical illnesses and surgery cases over the weekend and today (Monday),” he said.
Mr Stronach added that it was “not particularly unusual” for the flagship hospital to be on black alert and had been in the same situation 27 times last year.
Hospitals can be placed on black alert for a variety of reasons such as a rapid rise in emergency admissions, severe lack of beds, low staff numbers, or system failure and can be resolved in the most extreme cases by stopping new admissions, routine operations and transferring new patients elsewhere.
Jonathan Cook, director of corporate services for Norfolk Primary Care Trust, said: “We are confident that we have robust procedures in place to ensure that we deal with these emergency admission problems appropriately and assist the Norfolk and Norwich by avoiding non-urgent GP referrals.
We continue to work with our colleagues at the hospital and will monitor the situation extremely closely.”
A spokeswoman from the West Suffolk Hospital added: “We are on black alert because of an unusual high volume of A&E admissions, but these things happen and we are coping with it.”
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