VIDEO: Hospital on highest alert level
The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital is on a major alert after a critical incident was declared because of coronavirus.
About 900 members of staff - one in 10 of the workforce - are currently off work. Winter is always a difficult time for hospitals, but this year the situation is exacerbated as the covid pandemic continues. The proportion of people unable to work is about double normal levels. Some wards are closed.
Medical director Professor Adrian Harris says people should only go to hospital when they really need to. He explains: "Our fundamental problem is any normal winter we would be in a better position, but we have Covid in our community at the moment. And of course doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers aren't immune from it and of course they need to self-isolate if they come into contact with it."
On Monday Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw asked the health secretary Matt Hancock if Devon isn't moving into the lowest level of restrictions, tier one, because of ten years of Conservative austerity. He got short shrift, and clearly didn't believe the response, as seen in this short video report from BBC Spotlight.
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