Lincolnshire hospitals cancel elective surgeries and seek temp staff to ease coronavirus pressures

As of Tuesday, March 24, all such operations were cancelled at Lincoln County Hospital, Boston Pilgrim Hospital and Grantham and District Hospital, although the measure does not include cancer surgery or other clinically urgent cases.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) said the move will help to free up staff to care for patients in other areas, and that all patients affected will be contacted directly to inform them of the cancellations.

It comes as hospitals in the county intensified efforts to prevent the spread of the potentially fatal coronavirus.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “We can confirm that we are treating nine patients with confirmed Covid-19 in our hospitals.

“Four are being cared for at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, and five are at Lincoln County Hospital.”

They added: “Every infection prevention precaution is being taken, including caring for these patients in isolation.

“Our staff caring for the patients are trained and equipped to do so safely.”

ULHT has followed other hospital trusts by suspending all usual visiting arrangements.

With extraordinary pressures on staffing, the trust is seeking temporary staff to support its catering and housekeeping services at all three hospitals.

A spokesperson said: “We are seeking people with housekeeping or catering experience. For catering, we would require only people who hold a current food hygiene certificate.

“All roles will be paid at the national living wage and will be appointed through our fast-track process.”

For more details on how to apply, send an email to [email protected]

In the latest figures, 24 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Lincolnshire, five cases in North Lincolnshire and three in North East Lincolnshire.

The number of confirmed cases in the UK stood at 8,077, with at least 422 people now known to have died as a result.

Infection and fatality figures are both expected to rise in the coming weeks.