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Coronavirus and NHS Waiting List

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Date published: 4/11/2020

Pressures on NHS staff to treat non Covid 19 patients with other serious health issues such as cancer, heart conditions and hip replacement surgeries have for understandable reasons been put on the back burner while the NHS were coping with pandemic. However, social distancing and staff shortage are but a few of the challenges faced by the NHS to cope with the backlog of cases.  Also critical to help the NHS help patients is of course are essential resources in form of more funding and more staff.

Some patients who have been on the waiting list fear that by the time they are seen to their condition may become beyond recovery.  So for an elderly lady in her 70s waiting for a hip replacement operation for a longer waiting period than usual probably means while she is struggling her pain increases and so does the problem requiring attention in the first place. 

According to the report by the BBC the British Heart Foundation have warned of an estimated 28,000 of backlog of hearth procedures delayed due to the Coronavirus.

The Cancer Research state about 2.4 million in the UK are patients waiting for screening, treatment and vital investigation with a potential of 23,000 cancers possibly undiagnosed due to the coronavirus.

Of course, we all appreciate the pressures on the NHS as a result of the pandemic however, patients need more reassurance now that they will not have to wait too long for essential investigation and treatment. Especially since now that some efforts are being made to ease to the lockdown,  this new challenge needs urgent attention from those making decisions. 

How can we help you?

If you or your loved one have suffered due to medical negligence and would like an informal chat with our medical negligence team please give us a call on 0330 107 0107 or contact us by email at clinicalnegligence@imd.co.uk and a member of our team will be more than happy to arrange a call back for a free no obligation and informal chat to see if we can help you or even signpost you as to what your options might be.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.

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