Hospitals are turning to VETS to fill staffing gaps on intensive care wards ahead of amid fears of an explosion in critically ill coronavirus patients

Vets are being drafted in to work on the frontline in intensive care units ahead of an expected explosion in critically ill coronavirus patients.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has recruited 150 vets as 'respiratory assistants' to monitor COVID-19 patients hooked up to ventilators.

In a leaked document, bosses at the trust admitted they feared there would not be enough assistant staff to treat the increased numbers of patients.

It has projected a 10-fold spike in intensive care admissions in the coming weeks, as Britain's coronavirus crisis continues to grow.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has also asked vets and dentists to help amid staff shortages.

The unprecedented moves comes as experts predict 100,000 hospital beds will be full when the virus peaks in seven to 10 days' time.

The 150 volunteers are being trained this week and could be deployed at Torbay and South Devon Trust hospitals as soon as next week if they are needed.

They have been recruited as 'respiratory assistants' and will help care for the sickest COVID-19 patients hooked up to ventilators. They will work for free.

Their role will include monitoring patients under anaesthetic, as well as checking their blood pressure and oxygen levels.

Some vets will also be asked to administer IV fluids and take blood samples if they are qualified enough.

But they will not be directly involved in decisions about patient care, including whether to intubate them.

Managers at Torbay Hospital wrote to dentists asking them to volunteer amid fears they would not cope with the surge in coronavirus cases.

In the message, seen by the Health Service Journal, bosses said they envisage the number of intensive care beds may need to increase by as much as a 'factor of ten'.

They said it would be 'relatively straightforward' to get equipment, but admitted there was a 'critical lack' of trained staff.

A trust spokeswoman told the HSJ veterinary staff have 'valuable skills that we can use to support our staff in caring for patients with respiratory problems'.

She added: 'We have thorough plans in place to ensure we are able to properly cope with the need for additional beds if the number of patients who need intensive care rises. These plans are in action and we are coping well at this time.'

Meanwhile Hampshire Hospitals said it would use vets, dentists and 'other skilled professionals' as ICU 'bedside support workers'.

A trust spokesman told HSJ: 'Only those who are assessed to have the appropriate transferable skills, education and training will temporarily join our team.

'We are incredibly grateful for all of the ways these communities have got behind us and offered their help in any way they can, as we work to provide the best possible care to our patients in these challenging times.'

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) said it 'admired the desire' of vets who want to play a frontline role in NHS hospitals.

Ref: Dailymail