HEALTH bosses say that the Alexandra in Redditch and other Worcestershire hospitals have the capacity to cope with coronavirus following a meeting with MPs.

A number of issues were raised during a conference call between Worcestershire’s MPs, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG on Tuesday, April 7.

Points of discussion included the ramping up of staff testing, acute & intensive care bed capacity and personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital staff.

Redditch MP Rachel Maclean said: “I’m encouraged and reassured by the herculean planning efforts undertaken by health bosses to ensure Worcestershire has the capacity to cope with the expected peak in coronavirus cases. They’re working around the clock to ensure we’re prepared.

“I was pleased to hear that staff testing has been significantly ramped up. This will ensure staff who are currently self-isolating can return to work safe in the knowledge they do not have the virus.

“We’re also all well aware that there has been a strain on the distribution of PPE, but I’m assured staff working in our county’s hospitals have the PPE they need and where issues do arise health bosses are acting quickly to resolve them.

Health bosses also emphasised the crucial need for people to follow the Government’s social distancing guidelines.

“There is no point clapping for our carers each Thursday if you’re not going to follow the Government’s social distancing instructions,” Rachel added.

“The single most important thing all of us can do is to follow these instructions. Not only are these measures in place to protect you, they’re in place to protect our NHS to ensure it is there for people in their time of need.

“NHS staff are going to work for us, so the very least we can do is to stay at home for them.”