Warns of “inexorably” rising numbers of covid-19 inpatients at neighbouring trust Hospital chiefs in the South West have warned the region will not avoid the extreme pressures felt by other parts of the NHS amid rapidly rising numbers of covid-19 inpatients. The region was the least affected area of England during the pandemic’s first wave, but the medical director of two acute trusts yesterday predicted a “tidal wave” of covid-19 coming to the West Country. Adrian Harris, medical director at Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare Trust, said the region faced an “absolute crisis” and individual trusts would be “hanging on by their fingernails”.