Mobile screening to tackle rising backlog

MOBILE screening units may be deployed across Scotland to try to tackle the healthcare backlog.

NHS Scotland chief executive John Connaghan revealed the plans yesterday amid concern at mounting waiting lists.

He told Holyrood’s health committee ‘active consideration’ is being given to the use of mobile diagnostic services to test for diseases such as cancer – with health boards being asked to reestablish screening services by the end of July.

He said: ‘Our next phase, which will be from the end of July right to the end of the financial year in March 2021, is really much more important now in terms of tackling what backlog is there.’

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed that regular screening will resume ‘very soon’ as part of the reopening of the NHS but said spare capacity must be kept in case of a second wave of coronavirus.

She also said most NHS staff are ‘physically and emotionally exhausted’ from dealing with the pandemic. Former workers who have returned on a temporary basis could be asked to stay longer as a result.

Describing the resumption of cancer screening as a ‘priority area’, Miss Freeman warned: ‘We cannot flick a switch and turn our NHS back on as it was, for example, in November or December last year.’

This was not possible because ‘we are still in the middle of a pandemic’ and because of the ‘vitally important’ need to ensure the NHS’s ability to cope with a second wave ‘if one comes’.

Mr Connaghan also said that patients can expect to continue to be ‘seen’ via digital consultations with their GPs and hospital consultants.