Trusts with the most covid outbreaks to get regional intervention

In a letter sent to local NHS leaders, NHS England said trusts must carry out “root cause analyses” of all probable “healthcare associated” coronavirus infections, treating each as an ”untoward incident”.

There is concern at the ease at which the virus can spread in hospitals, and the need for the instructions suggests full investigations may not already be carried out routinely by all trusts.

The letter stresses it is “important that we take even greater steps to stop the spread of coronavirus in healthcare settings”.

It says outlier trusts, defined by average numbers over cases aggregated over four weeks, should carry out a “full review of all actions implemented locally” and mobilise support from regional infection prevention control teams.

Earlier this month, HSJ revealed more than 60 per cent of new covid cases diagnosed at two hospitals in Northamptonshire, over a period of more than a week, were caught at least two weeks after the patient was admitted

The letter was signed by NHS England’s chief nurse Ruth May, national medical director Steve Powis, chief people officer Prerana Issar, and national director for emergency and elective care Pauline Philip.