Consultants in intensive care medicine say critical care capacity is inadequate to deal with further waves of the pandemic, according to a new report by the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM).
Voices from the Frontline of Critical Care, based on a survey of the Faculty’s approximately 2,500 consultant members across a two-week period, reflects the recent experiences and feelings of intensive care doctors to the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were 549 responses (22%)
Almost half (45%) of respondents reported that they had seen a permanent increase in the critical care capacity of their directorates. However, only 18 per cent considered the increased capacity to be adequately staffed.
More than half (54%) reported that there has been some relaxation of the Guidelines for the Provision of Intensive Care Services (GPICS) but 60 per cent said their units are still attempting to follow the standards.
Reflecting the pressure on critical care services during the first wave, 80 per cent of respondents increased their working hours, 71 per cent had cover for sick consultant colleagues, and 88 per cent had their leave cancelled.
“Faculty members understood the impact the first wave of COVID-19 had on non-critical care staff, and hugely appreciated their response to the crisis. The flexible increase in staffing was so important for care, although the drop in GPICS standards underlines the need to increase the underlying critical care capacity, and the multi-disciplinary workforce,” the Faculty says.
