Heart surgery waits in England may rise by 40%, warns charity
According to the British Heart Foundation, it may take up to five years for cardiac services to return to pre-Covid levels. This warning comes after it was revealed nearly 14 million people could be on NHS waiting lists in England by next autumn.
"Tragically, we have already seen thousands of extra deaths from heart and circulatory diseases during the pandemic, and delays to care have likely contributed to this terrible toll. At this critical moment, the government must act now to avoid more lives lost to treatable heart conditions. Addressing the growing heart care backlog is only the start," says Prof Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation.
Source: BBC News, 9 August 2021