April 10, 2020

expert reaction to Boris Johnson leaving intensive care and going back onto a ward

No10 have announced that Boris Johnson is now no longer in the ICU, and has been moved back to the ward. 

Dr Tom Wingfield, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Physician, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said:

“Being well enough to leave intensive care is a really encouraging sign that a patient is improving clinically.  It means that they no longer need specialist ICU care, which includes continuous monitoring and, in some cases, a ventilator.

“They may still require close monitoring on a ward.  Close monitoring means regular measurement of ‘vital signs’ like blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate, and oxygen levels, and also clinical review by doctors, nurses, and other health and social care professionals.

“Every patient is different and the time it takes for them to be fit enough to be discharged from hospital or recover to full health can vary widely.  Nevertheless, leaving ICU is an extremely important first step on their road to recovery.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-from-downing-street-9-april-2020

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