CANCER CRISIS HEARTACHE
Cardiac patients fall victim too as doctors are forced to axe urgent surgery
URGENT cancer surgery is being cancelled as hospitals do not have space for non-Covid patients.
Soaring admissions mean bosses in London and Kent say they had no choice but to take the drastic step so they can deal with emergency virus cases.
In London, where hospitals are close to being overwhelmed, surgical theatres and recovery wards usually be used for operations have been turned into Covid wards.
Doctors fear heart attack and stroke patients could also become collateral victims of the new lockdown, with a huge fall in the number of non-virus patients attending A&E. The first lockdown was blamed for tens of thousands of excess non-Covid deaths.
The NHS had pledged to keep cancer treatment going throughout the winter but patients have had operations cancelled at the last minute.
Surgery would require an intensive care bed for the patient to recover in – but in many hospitals all ICU beds are taken up treating Covid. Operations classed as Priority Two – deemed so urgent they must be done within
‘It’s getting much worse now’
28 days – have been called off at hospitals including King’s College London. It said: ‘A small number of cancer patients due to be operated on this week have had their surgery postponed, with patients being kept under close review by senior doctors.
‘Due to the large increase in patients being admitted with Covid-19, including those requiring intensive care, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone all elective procedures, with the exception of cases where a delay would cause immediate harm.’
Any delay to cancer surgery risks the tumour growing and the disease spreading, reducing survival chances.
The Health Service Journal reported that cancellations were ‘rife’ across London, with almost all non-emergency surgery scrapped.
Thousands of elective operations, such as knee and hip replacements, had already been called off. Professor Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, told Times Radio: ‘Over the weekend we talked about a slow-motion car crash, but I think it’s getting much worse than that now.
‘My colleagues in London report that there are problems with staff numbers on the wards, staff numbers in theatres.’
Sara Bainbridge, head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We still must make that cancer doesn’t become “the forgotten C”. It is imperative that people expecting tests and treatment face minimal disruption.’
Kruti Shrotri, Cancer Research UK’s head of policy, said: ‘It’s extremely concerning to hear that cancer surgery is being delayed in some parts of the country, and this shows just how much the NHS is struggling to cope. We know NHS staff are doing everything they can. We’re doing all we can to support the NHS to protect cancer services. ‘Anyone who thinks they might have signs or symptoms of cancer, please go and see your GP – the NHS is still open to see you.’ Meanwhile, Royal College of Emergency Medicine vice president Dr Adrian Boyle said attendances at A&E by non-virus patients has fallen by up to 30 per cent.
‘We worry about the missing patients,’ he said. ‘People with heart attacks and strokes can be too scared to come to hospital. People are coming more severely ill because they have waited too long to get help. We want to get the message out that if you do go to hospital we will do everything we can to look after you.’ He warned that the surge in Covid patients is having a knock- on impact, with trolley waits in A&E at their worst level for a decade.
Professor Ravi Mahajan, the president of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, said: ‘If we do not take decisure
sive action to tackle this virus now, we will see increasing waiting lists which may take years to get under control.’
A spokesman for NHS England said: ‘Trusts continue to treat as many elective patients as possible, and are prioritising those who have been waiting the longest, whilst maintaining cancer and urgent treatments. However, the NHS is under severe pressure.’