A report has found that standards of infection prevention and control (IPC) in UK hospitals have dropped since the pandemic.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine recommended that IPC be put at the top of hospitals' agendas or patients’ lives could be at risk, with staff and patients still able to contract Covid-19.
The report recommended healthcare workers get vaccinated against the virus and have their flu injections.
The three-year quality improvement programme by the college gathered data on more than 65,000 patients across 127 emergency departments.
The report investigated the level of screening across three categories, including tests for Covid-19.
It also examined screening in those with "vulnerable conditions", such as being pregnant, unvaccinated or having immune system problems, and patients presenting with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting or unexplained rash and fever.
The report found the national average of patients being screened when attending A&E was 17 per cent last year, down from 25 per cent in 2022.
"It is unconscionable that directly after a terrible pandemic the system is not providing the standards that staff and patients need," Royal College of Emergency Medicine president Dr Adrian Boyle said.
"We must ensure that an environment where staff and patients are protected properly against infectious diseases is the norm."
More than a quarter of emergency departments – 35 of the 127 surveyed – did not record any patients being screened for all three conditions.
The report warned there had been a "rise" in patients going into emergency departments with Covid-19, as well as a drop in the number of healthcare staff being vaccinated against the virus and flu.
"It is unclear why this is happening but we have an increasingly concerning situation for both patients and staff," the report added.
Anniversary of first Covid-19 death - in pictures
Elsewhere, the college found the national average of patients identified as potentially infectious and moved to an appropriate area was 62 per cent, down from 80 per cent.
On average, those patients were moved in 135 minutes, up from 83 minutes in the previous 12 months and 46 minutes in 2020-2021.
In his foreword, Dr Boyle wrote that the results show "performance has dropped across all the QIP's standards".
"In some instances, performance has dropped by over 20 per cent across the three years, highlighting the need for trusts and hospitals to return to placing IPC [infection prevention and control] at the top of their agendas as was done in the Covid-19 pandemic."
Among its recommendations, the college said: "We must continue to raise awareness that Covid-19 is present and a real risk to both patients and staff."
It called for staff to be "encouraged" to screen patients and document results, as well as to get vaccinated.
It also said IPC teams must work with emergency departments to maximise patient safety.
The college's QIP team was led by Dr Fiona Burton, an emergency medicine consultant.
Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic will be felt for 'decades to come' - video
She said the drop in standards was "worrying" but that the "highly unusual context" of the pandemic, as well as overstretched emergency departments, had to be considered.
"As Covid emerged there was naturally strong messaging about the importance of escalating infection control measures, including the focus on identifying the people who were most vulnerable," Dr Burton said.
"However, with the successful vaccination programme the messaging has lessened and assessing people's vulnerability as soon as they enter the emergency department is perhaps no longer as prominent a consideration as it was – especially as other system pressures mount.
"But we have to remember that Covid has not gone away and it, and other infectious diseases, still pose a serious threat to patients and to staff, and that not being able to provide adequate IPC measures can put people's lives at risk. It must remain a priority."
Publication of the report comes after health chiefs warned the National Health Service in England is facing an enormous challenge due to winter pressures and industrial action by junior doctors, which started on Saturday.
Data released last week showed an average of 2,208 patients were in hospital in England each day last week with flu, including 112 in critical care beds.
The figure is up by 68 per cent compared to the start of January, while the number in critical care is the highest so far this winter.
An average of 2,720 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 were also in hospital last week, down from 3,229 the previous week.
Covid-19 patient numbers peaked at more than 9,000 last winter.
An NHS representative told PA that NHS teams were "very aware" of the continuing risk presented by Covid-19 and "other infections", adding that "strong" prevention and control methods were already in place.
"The NHS urgent and emergency care recovery plan sets out a range of measures to reduce pressure and crowding in A&E, including greater use of community and same-day emergency care, alongside more beds and measures to reduce delayed discharges which affect patient flow and how quickly someone can be admitted,'" the representative said.
Agencies contributed to this report.
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The 24-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur).
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea/Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Standby player: Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC).
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
The%20specs
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Andor
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Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
Read more about the coronavirus
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
