Caring for patients with cancer and those who have needed urgent surgery during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is being made possible thanks to dedicated teams both inside and outside the NHS.
Some East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) staff have been working away from Colchester and Ipswich hospitals at Oaks Hospital, part of Ramsay Health Care UK in Colchester, and Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital to maintain care for our patients.
Through an agreement with the Government, both of the independent hospital sites and the teams who work there have been made available to support ESNEFT through the pandemic.
Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital is being used to treat Oncology (cancer) and Haematology (diseases related to blood) patients, while cancer surgery and non-cancer urgent surgery is being carried out at Oaks Hospital.
Somersham Ward and Woolverstone Day Unit were moved from the main Ipswich Hospital site in Heath Road so inpatients and day unit patients could still receive care and treatment at Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital.
Speaking about the Trust’s work with Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital, Dr Debo Ademokun, Divisional Clinical Director for Cancer and Diagnostics at ESNEFT, said:
“The staff on both sites were immense in terms of just getting things done in such a short space of time. From nursing, to operations and IT, everyone chipped in.
“Patients have told us they are pleased that they can be treated on a separate site in the current climate and they’re grateful that they have continued to receive their treatments.”
Ian Milne, Hospital Director at Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital, said: “We are pleased to offer our support to NHS patients and the teams at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust at this challenging time.
“The whole team has been fantastic, and I am very proud of what they have all done so far, and for what they will be doing over the coming weeks.”
Speaking about the trust’s work at Oaks Hospital, ESNEFT’s lead cancer clinician Dr Subash Vasudevan said:
“The whole team have been phenomenal. They’ve been so proactive and helpful.
“We have really pushed them in a way and they’ve gone beyond what they would normally be doing, which has helped us to treat our cancer patients in a timely manner.”
Amy Simpson, Hospital Director at Oaks Hospital said: “Oaks Hospital will do everything it takes to support ESNEFT and the people of north east Essex at this time of crisis.
“Our staff are standing shoulder to shoulder with the NHS to fight against COVID-19. I am immensely proud of the Oaks Hospital team as we prepare for whatever is next.”
ESNEFT has provided a range of training sessions to colleagues at both Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital and Oaks Hospital to make sure all teams have the skills needed to work together to provide safe patient care throughout the pandemic.
Back to top