75% of all Covid patients who enter all four Kent NHS Trusts beds survive

Updated 18:45 -15/01/21

Martin Landray, professor of medicine and epidemiology at Oxford University (pictured) is probably a man you have never heard of. However, in The Times on the 30 Dec 2020, he stated

• “For the patients who’ve been admitted to hospital, one in four, one in five of those patients are no longer with us. That’s the tragedy of this thing.”

These figures quoted by Professor Landray chime with the survival rates for all Acute Kent NHS Trusts.

• Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust (Population served – 500,000)

• East Kent Hospital University Foundation NHS Trust (Population served – 720,500)

• Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (Population served – 560,000)

• Medway NHS Foundation Trust (Population served – 424,000)

Between March 23rd 2020 and Jan 1st 2021, Eight thousand one hundred and fifty nine (8,159) patients were admitted to all Kent Hospital Trusts with Covid. Of those who entered with Covid, six thousand one hundred and sixteen (6,116) left alive. This gives a survival rate of 74.97%, or three out of four patients.

The survival rates for each trust varies, but they are within Professor Landray’s numbers as can be seen in the chart below.

This pandemic is far from over and we must continue to obey the rules. We must unfortunately continue to suffer the slings and arrows of this outrageous virus, but by taking up the vaccine we will hopefully end it.

All Kent Trusts have seen the number of Covid patients fall, which brings a little bit of respite to those on the frontline hopefully.

For those families who lost a loved to Covid we impart our condolences to you all. Their lives were not in vain, as all Kent Trusts were part of the Recovery Trial, set up by Professor Landray and his team.

Within 100 days the Recovery trial had made three major discoveries that transformed Covid-19 care worldwide. The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and the HIV/Aids medicine lopinavir-ritonavir showed no benefit in hospitalised Covid19 patients, confounding the expectations of many experts and lay advocates.

But a steroid called dexamethasone was effective. It was, Professor Landray says, a “beautiful” result — a cheap drug already stocked in virtually every hospital pharmacy and available around the world had cut the chances of the most ill patients dying by as much as a third. Since June, the drug is estimated to have saved as many as 1.4 million lives around the world.

Without those patients who took part in the trial across the Kent Trusts,  none of the important discoveries would have been possible. Each of them are heroes, and we are grateful to them all.

We understand the numbers above are not just numbers, they represent a real person who has passed away because of Covid. Each of them have family, loved ones and friends. To each of you, wherever you are in Kent or Medway, we extend our deepest condolences to you, as we understand many of you will not have been able to be with them at the end.

The one comfort we can all take from the persons passing is that each of them received the most powerful drug in the world – kindness. It work’s for everyone, it’s hard to get the dose wrong, and it’s free at the point of delivery. Thanks to all those who have delivered that throughout this crisis.

All of the Shepway Vox Team extend their thanks and gratitude to all NHS staff, all carers in care homes and hospices, family members who looked after loved ones through out this pandemic. The thanks you are all owed is immeasurable.

The Shepway Vox Team

Stay at Home – Save the NHS – Save Lives