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PA - Medical professionals at ExCel centre in London temporary hospital
PA - Medical professionals at ExCel centre in London temporary hospital
UK News

Christian medic urges Christians to pray for NHS staff amid shortages

by Heather Preston

A Christian medic says a shortage of staff and equipment is putting the NHS under increased pressure.

More than 9,500 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK, but the actual number of cases is estimated to be much higher.

The ExCel exhibition centre in London is being converted into a temporary coronavirus hospital to accommodate 4 thousand additional patients. 

It's understood as many as 10 makeshift NHS hospitals could be needed in addition to this to cope with the UK outbreak.

Libby Adderley is a Christian and junior doctor at a hospital in Manchester.

She told Premier how staff are coping where she works: "People are under quite a lot of pressure, I think partly due to staffing shortages.

"At the moment, we're trying to clear lots of patients out of hospital who don't necessarily need to be there. To make room for the need for beds anticipated.

"There has been an increased demand on scrubs and protective equipment has been quite difficult to get hold of," she said. 

"We're working really hard to make sure everybody is protected and safe when they're working - so trying to make sure there's enough of that to go around is a challenge."

Adderley said she's been praying for different members of the NHS every day and has encouraged Christians to join her.

"I would just love for people to be praying for our hospitals and staff teams and not just doctors and nurses. We have physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, ward clerks, the clinical coding team. We have all sorts of different staff members who still have to come into work and are integral to the functioning of the NHS. 

"I'm trying to take time each day to pray for different people and different members of our team and I would love it if people could join me in that," she said.

In an effort to free up more beds all routine operations, such as hip and knee replacements, are being cancelled for three months starting in April and hospitals will focus on discharging patients who do not need to be there.

These two measures could free up 30,000 of the 100,000 hospital beds in England alone.

The Government has also raised its target for NHS volunteers, after more than half a million signed-up to help the vulnerable during the outbreak.

Downing Street says it now wants 750,000 people to collect shopping and medication for those in need and drive patients to hospital.

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