The must-read stories and debate in health policy and leadership.

Today national chiefs raised alarm over the lack of social distancing among staff within hospitals.

The national clinical director for trauma, who is assisting nationally on infection and prevention protocols across trusts, has pointed out that healthcare workers are not the best at social distancing.

National director Keith Willett followed up the warning by saying evidence had showed staff to staff transmission of covid-19 in hospitals was much higher than patient to staff.

The warning comes after national director for patient safety Aidan Fowler said he was concerned about rates of nosocomial spread within hospitals.

As the NHS gears up to begin elective work again, a lack of social distancing among staff could cause problems for vital infection control.

Behind the figures

Two things are proven by the figures covered by HSJ today on intensive care occupancy.

First, that figures presented each day at the government’s daily press conference, showing critical care occupancy about a fifth occupied, are definitely misleading. It is well known by many in healthcare that this is based on a highly inflated interpretation of real capacity, but not by everyone else.

Second, that work within many hospitals is still highly disrupted by coronavirus. It means the ability to carry on in any normal way - as emergency patients come back, attempts are made to resume electives, and ways are found to operate within covid circulation risk - is very variable, and in some cases extremely limited.