Leeds cancer patient's surgery delayed due to hospitals being "heavily affected" by Covid-19, MP says

Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper said she had been contacted by the person in question.

In a statement primarily about capacity issues at hospitals in her own constituency, Ms Cooper said Leeds hospitals were also "heavily affected" by the coronavirus pandemic.

Posting on Facebook, she said: "Staff are very worried about rising cases and about the impact on care for other patients across the NHS too.

"Please take Covid seriously. I know that everyone is tired of things after a really difficult year, and it would have been far better if it hadn’t reached this point, but we all need to do our bit to support our NHS right now.

"We need our NHS to be there for all of us and our families whenever we need it and that means preventing Covid escalating out of control.

"Once again NHS and care staff are on the frontline in dealing with Covid.

"Time to support them and to thank them for the incredible work they do."

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's last public update, on October 27, stated that there were more Covid patients in Leeds Hospitals than at the peak of the pandemic.

The trust said at the time that there were 263 patients currently in their beds who have tested positive for Covid - including 22 in intensive care.

Managers said the pressure on beds had become "far greater than in the first wave".

Writing about the situation at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, Ms Cooper wrote: "Difficult news from Pinderfields last night. They now have 240 Covid patients - up from 180 at the beginning of the week and they are expecting the numbers to keep rising.

"That’s much higher than the peak of the first wave in April when they had 170 Covid patients.

"NHS staff are now under huge pressure and I want to thank them for the incredible job they are doing - especially after what has already been a tough year.

"In order to cope, Mid Yorkshire Trust are having to turn more wards into Covid wards and move more anaesthetists, nurses & other staff in to support very ill Covid patients."

Ms Cooper said she had been told some operating theatres at Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields had had to close as a result.

She added: "Mid Yorkshire Trust tell me that local cancer and urgent surgery is still going ahead.

"Outpatients and diagnostic appointments are still happening too and the Urgent Treatment Centre, A&E, GP and maternity services are all open as normal.

"But many non-urgent operations have now been cancelled."

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