The boss of Cornwall’s hospitals has confirmed that there are currently seven coronavirus patients in Royal Cornwall Hospital with three in intensive care.

Kate Shields, chief executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT), provided the update at a briefing yesterday.

And she also explained that the Truro hospital could also be used for surgery for patients from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Mrs Shields said that the NHS in Cornwall was currently “very busy” with a larger number of people using health services since the last lockdown.

But she said that it was important that people do still access healthcare when they need to.

The chief executive said that the hospital had also had to take some beds out so that it could follow social distancing guidelines.

And she explained that University Hospitals Plymouth Trust – which runs Derriford – had shown how quickly the number of coronavirus cases could grow.

She said: “We are doing what we can to contain infections in hospital and to protect our patients.”

She added that RCHT had offered the Plymouth hospital an opportunity to use RCH for surgery.

She said: “We are already speaking to Derriford and we are planning to have a team to come over to RCH to provide complex surgery. That will help Derriford while they are busier than ever.”

Mrs Shields also said that there was a need in Cornwall for more health and social care staff to help people who are ready to be discharged from hospital.

She explained that current “gaps in the workforce” meant it was “difficult” to discharge patients.

She said: “If you are interested in a job in care contact Cornwall Council, RCHT or Cornwall Partnership Trust now.

“In doing that (filling gaps) we can get people back into their homes and work with GPs to ensure care can be provided in or near people’s homes.”

She added: “We would like to hear from anybody who is interested in working in health or social care or anybody who has worked in the past who would like to come back to it.

“It would be great to employ Cornish people to look after their own during the second COVID-19 spike.”

And speaking more generally the hospital boss reminded people to keep following the guidelines.

She said: “We have done a really good job here in Cornwall. We need to remember that by watching our space, washing our hands and wearing face masks we can make sure that vulnerable people in Cornwall can be kept safe in an effective way.”