NHS is open for business, says Hancock, amid missed cancer fears
NHS services such as cancer care which have been stopped so that coronavirus could be prioritised will begin to be restored today, the Health Secretary has said.
Matt Hancock said NHS hospitals will begin by trying to restart the most urgent care, such as that which had been put on hold for patients with cancer and mental health problems, during the pandemic.
He said last night: “As the number of hospitalisations from coronavirus begins to fall, I can announce that, starting tomorrow, we will begin the restoration of other NHS services – starting with the most urgent, like cancer care and mental health support.
“The exact pace of the restoration will be determined by local circumstances on the ground, according to local need and according to the amount of coronavirus cases that that hospital is having to deal with.”
Many cancer patients have had their treatment delayed, in some cases because undergoing chemotherapy during the coronavirus outbreak could increase the risk to them.
Other services are short of staff because medics have been dispatched to care for coronavirus patients.
In many cases, specialists have been able to offer patients “virtual” consultations, but there is also concern that patients are not coming forward with symptoms, or are not being referred on to hospitals, because of the crisis.
Cancer Research UK has warned that the number of patients being referred by doctors for urgent hospital appointments or checks for cancer has dropped by 75 per cent since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
The charity said about 2,300 cancers are being missed every week as a result, with more at risk from the suspension of screening services. Last night Mr Hancock urged those with urgent healthcare problems to come forward for help, highlighting the fact that the numbers arriving in Accident and Emergency departments have more than halved compared with last year.
While some of the drop might relate to fewer accidents, with less traffic on the road, and more use of remote ways to access the NHS, he raised fears that in critical situations patients were not seeking help. Mr Hancock said: “Our message is that the NHS is open. Help us to help you. So if you’re worried about chest pains, for instance, maybe you might be having a heart attack or a stroke or you feel alone, and you’re worried about cancer; or you’re parents concerned about your child, please come forward and seek help, as you always would.
“It is so important that everybody uses the NHS responsibly, and the NHS will always be there for you when you need it.”