26
Jan 2021
NHS bosses tell hospitals cancer treatments must continue
Health bosses have warned that cancer treatments must not be delayed, despite the impact on coronavirus on hospitals, amid fears that too many operations are being cancelled.
In a message last week, NHS England told regional directors that hospitals must give cancer the same priority as coronavirus patients.
There are fears that large-scale delays in cancer operations and treatment will lead to an increase in avoidable deaths and a backlash against the NHS.
London, currently the hardest hit area in the latest surge of Covid, has so far cancelled hundreds of operations every week since Christmas, with leaked information showing over 3,800 cancer patients waiting for longer than the 62-day target for urgent treatment.
Hospitals throughout the rest of the country have needed to cancel operations as the number of coronavirus patients outnumbers intensive care beds Operating theatres and surgical recovery rooms have been converted into makeshift intensive care units, with staff redeployed to help support overworked nurses.
In a letter to hospitals last week, NHS England said “Given the intense pressure on hospital beds right now, we are recommending that all integrated care systems immediately establish Covid virtual wards to support the earlier and safe discharge of Covid-19 inpatients. Covid virtual wards have been proven to reduce admissions/bed occupancy and improve length of stay, mitigating pressure on beds.
“We want to ensure that the actions which enabled the NHS to sustain cancer services at such high levels during the first wave are in place as we confront the current challenges.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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