The Little Black Box that made the Biggest Difference : Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals FT

WHH serves 330K patient population with a high prevalence of deprivation and respiratory illness. In advance of the COVID-19 pandemic, a small team of Respiratory/ ICU consultants, nurses and physiotherapists planned for a shortage of ventilators due to anticipated high patient demand and a national shortage. Together they modified the CPAP devices used in the community to deliver oxygen at higher pressures – the ‘Black Box’ - which provided almost instant relief to acutely unwell patients, avoided invasive ventilation in many cases and released beds on ICU. In wave 1 WHH reported to lowest COVID-19 mortality numbers in the North West.