THE peak of the coronavirus crisis in Oxfordshire's hospitals is likely to be ‘lower but longer-lasting' than previously predicted, according to health chiefs.

Graham Shelton, one of the governors at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), said in an update to residents last week that a briefing about the Covid-19 situation at the trust had been overall ‘very positive’ and gave fresh details about how the outbreak was expected to progress locally.

In the update he said the trust, which runs the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, as well as Banbury's Horton General Hospital, had put together a ‘comprehensive pandemic plan to clear the decks ahead of the expected peak in Covid-19 admissions’.

This had provided 125 critical care beds with ventilators and a further 400 beds with oxygen supply.

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He added: “The expected peak has been more modest than the original model suggested, and there has been an average total of about 100 patients with Covid-19 in the John Radcliffe and Horton Hospitals on any day.

“Most have required oxygen, and I understand that today (April 21) 22 people are being ventilated.”

He added: “They are receiving expert care. New modelling suggests that the peak may be lower but longer-lasting than originally predicted and it may go on for some time.”

There have so far been 133 deaths of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 at the trust, as of 5pm on Tuesday.

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A total of 187 coronavirus patients have been well enough to leave the trust and return to their homes, meanwhile, as of Wednesday, April 22.

Mr Shelton told the Oxford Mail he sent the message to local groups following a virtual meeting of governors on April 21 and since then this revised modelling appeared to be being borne out.

On the issue of Personal Protective Equipment at OUH, he said in his update there was 'enough' for workers and 'at no time has any member of staff been without the appropriate protection'.

He continued: “Although there was a somewhat higher than normal staff absence early in the pandemic, with staff self-isolating, staff are returning and there have been no serious staff shortages.

“There has been significant staff redeployment and training involving over 5,000 staff from the 13,000 total.

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"This includes some quite technical stuff involving managing patients in intensive care as well leaning how to cope with doing the job wearing full PPE for a whole shift."

He also said staff had access to well-being care to help with the stress of the current situation.

Mr Shelton, who is one of two West Oxfordshire representatives on OUH's Council of Governors, said there was also no shortage of Covid-19 testing kits for staff, adding: "The rate limiter being staff uptake rather than kit availability.

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"I asked a question about the care of patients with non-Covid-related problems and I was reassured that there are detailed protocols in place to ensure appropriate specialist management of such patients even if they are not admitted to the usual wards because of the rearrangements necessary."

He continued: "Oxford is one of the largest centres of excellence in the South East in managing the pandemic and you can be reassured, as I have been, that the hospital administration and staff are doing a stellar job which should be the envy of the whole country."