Hospitals begin catching up on postponed care

Hospitals can catch up on postponed care since Health Minister Ernst Kuipers withdrew so-called phase 2-d.

Phase 2-d is the final stage before stage 3 also known as 'code black' for hospitals, indicating a shortage of beds in the ICU.

Phase 2d was announced on November 26 as the ICUs filled with Covid-19 patients. All hands were needed in the ICU. Phase 2d meant that all hospitals postponed plannable care and critical planned surgeries whenever possible.

According to the health minister, the National Acute Care Network (LNAZ) asked the ministry to withdraw phase 2d, making it possible to "work on the provision of deferred care."

"In the first instance, attention should be paid to critical planned care dependent on the ICU," Kuipers said.

The step down from phase 2d was possible because the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals has decreased despite record-high infection numbers. If the situation does not get worse, ICU capacity can be scaled up to 1,200 ICU beds within three days.