NHS declares 'level 4 incident' as it steps up preparations for coronavirus outbreak

© Handout NHS England has recommended that all non-urgent elective operations are postponed

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The NHS is stepping up its preparations for a more widespread outbreak of coronavirus in the UK.

Bosses have sent a letter to the chief executives of Trusts across England explaining what measures need to be put in place.

The letter states that NHS England and NHS Improvement has declared a 'level 4 incident' - the highest category - meaning that the response to coronavirus will be co-ordinated on a national level.

It comes as the national number of positive cases stands at 51 and the Government announces its action plan to help support the UK.

The NHS could delay non-urgent care, schools could close and large public gatherings could be banned if extraordinary measures are needed to curb the spread of the flu-like illness.

Coronavirus patients are currently being treated in specialist facilities, but the letter warns that if numbers continue to grow it will be necessary to start treating patients in other hospitals too.

The letter, sent by the NHS strategic incident director Professor Keith Willett and incident director Stephen Groves, states: “It is now appropriate to begin to manage some patients within wider infectious disease units and, in due course if the number of cases continues to grow, we will need to use all acute units."

As part of the preparations, NHS Tust directors are being asked to look at how they will provide dedicated areas for coronavirus patients inside hospitals.

Managers are also being told to review critical care and high dependency capacity and consider how it could be increased.

“Where possible, consider implementing alternative models such as remote consultations for those patients who can be supported at home and review arrangements to support vulnerable individuals in alternative settings, including in the community,” the letter states.

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Hospitals have also been told that any patients in an intensive care ward, who start to show signs of a lung infection, should be tested for coronavirus as a precaution.

NHS Trusts will also have to establish a Covid-19 Incident Management Team to work seven days a week, which will co-ordinate the response to coronavirus and also ensure staff know how to deal with patients and stocks of medical equipment do not run out.

The document also reminds trusts that any staff members who need to self-isolate receive full pay.

The news comes as Boris Johnson launched the goverment's 'battle plan' for coping with a serious outbreak of coronavirus.

The prime minister said he had “no doubt at all” that the “country is going to get through coronavirus, and get through it in good shape”.

But he stressed it was “highly likely” the number of coronavirus cases in the UK will rise.

He said: “Let me be absolutely clear that for the overwhelming majority of people who contract the virus, this will be a mild disease from which they will speedily and fully recover, as we have already seen.

“But I fully understand public concern, your concern, about the global spread of the virus and it is highly likely that we will see a growing number of UK cases, and that’s why keeping the country safe is the Government’s overriding priority, and our plan means we are committed to doing everything possible, based on the advice of our world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities.”

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