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Storm Eunice: community nurses advised to carry emergency pack

Community nurses battling historic storm to reach patients are told: take warm clothes and extra coat in case you get stuck – and make sure your phone is charged
 A fallen tree blocks a road near Canford Bottom in Dorset as Storm Eunice hits the south coast, with attractions closing, travel disrupted and a major incident declared in some areas, meaning people are warned to stay indoors. A rare red weather warning

Community nurses battling historic storm to reach patients are told: take warm clothes and extra coat in case you get stuck – and make sure your phone is charged

 A fallen tree blocks a road near Canford Bottom in Dorset as Storm Eunice hits the south coast, with attractions closing, travel disrupted and a major incident declared in some areas, meaning people are warned to stay indoors. A rare red weather warning – the highest alert – has been issued by the Met Office due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge
A fallen tree blocks a road near Canford Bottom in Dorset as Storm Eunice causes
travel disruption across the UK and a major incident is declared in some areas
Picture: Alamy

Community nurses battling the elements to bring care to patients in the coming days have been advised to carry an ‘emergency pack’ in their car as Storm Eunice rages across the UK.

Millions of people were urged to stay at home on Friday as winds reaching up to 122 miles an hour caused major disruption to road and rail networks due to flying debris and fallen trees.

Queen’s Nursing Institute nursing programmes manager (leadership) Eve Thrupp urged nurses travelling for work to be cautious and plan ahead in what had been predicted to be the one of the UK’s worst storms in a generation.

Several trusts postpone non-urgent appointments and urged people to visit hospitals only if necessary

‘My advice would be to take an emergency pack, with warmer clothes, an extra coat, and drink and food in case you get stuck,’ Ms Thrupp told Nursing Standard.

‘Consider parking and make sure you have a route to be able to move, because of mud or water.’

Ms Thrupp also advised staff keep in contact with colleagues and use their lone worker policy. ‘Check the routes before travelling and call ahead in case the visit is not needed anymore,’ she added.

‘Make sure you have enough petrol and phones are charged so you can contact someone if needed.’

Several trusts, including Gloucester Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, postponed non-urgent face-to-face appointments and urged people to visit loved ones in hospitals only if necessary.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust cancelled a number of planned surgeries and asked patients due to be discharged on Friday to wait until the storm had passed.

Members of the nursing community also took to social media ahead of the storm to wish their colleagues well.

Independent community nursing consultant Agnes Fanning recalled a narrow escape while out visiting patients as a district nurse during the great storm of 1987. ‘A giant billboard came straight for me and fortunately it bounced off my windscreen, otherwise I would not be here today to tell the tale,’ Dr Fanning said.

‘So whether nurses are working in town or country there are hazards all around and it is about being diligent and prioritising their visits and not jeopardising their own safety by doing a visit that could potentially wait until Sunday.’


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