'Lockdown DIY' piling pressure on A&E depts

Reporter: Charlotte Green
Date published: 01 April 2020


People doing ‘lockdown DIY’ are piling added pressure on the NHS as a rise in home improvements gone wrong is sending more residents to A&E.

Since the nationwide ‘stay at home’ policy was announced in a bid to stem the tide of Covid-19 infections, people have had to find new ways to fill the time.

For many this has meant digging out the toolbox and trying their hand at a garden makeover or a do-it-yourself version of Changing Rooms.

But a senior doctor has revealed that aside from coronavirus there is only one rise in the number of people coming to hospitals in the region – and the culprit is DIY accidents.

Dr John Patterson, Oldham CCG’s chief clinical officer (pictured below), said: “This is the time to give up smoking, this is definitely not the time to do ambitious DIY projects.

“We have had a rise across Greater Manchester of people presenting.

“So yes please do the painting that you’ve been nagged to do for the last two years, but please no drilling, no absolute home makeovers.

“It is a genuine ask that we don’t increase the footfall to A&E and we think about how we can avoid that.”

He added: “We’re closing down many activities that would generate stress on the health services.

“It’s one of the main reasons why we’re not meeting together in large football crowds because we can’t afford to put the emergency services out in the way that they usually would be.

“There is only one rise of presentation to hospitals that isn’t involved with Covid and that is DIY accidents.

“Could we just be sensible about our hobbies that we’re picking up during this time of isolation.”

People who are deemed ‘vulnerable’ are being asked to ‘shield’ themselves from the outside world for at least 12 weeks to protect them from Covid-19.

New rules brought in by the government last week means people are only allowed to leave their homes for limited reasons.

They include shopping for necessities, one form of daily exercise, a medical reason and to travel for essential work.

Police have been given the powers to issue fines and break up gatherings during the lockdown.

As of March 31, more than 900 people in Greater Manchester have tested positive for the virus, with around half of them requiring hospital treatment.


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