The NHS Covid legacy - long waits and lives at risk

Covid has left a toxic legacy for the NHS, with hospitals facing a huge backlog, putting lives at risk, patient groups and staff are warning.

And in-depth analysis by BBC News has found:

• waiting lists have ballooned at some hospitals in England, with more than one out of every 10 of patients in a quarter of trusts left at least a year without treatment
• major disruption to cancer services, with some hospitals struggling to treat half of their patients within the target time of two months
• concern growing for 45,000 "missing cancer patients", after drops in GP referrals and screening services across the UK.

Elaine Walsh was diagnosed with womb cancer in January. She should have been operated on within weeks, but her operation was cancelled because of the pandemic and the backlog it had caused.

Elaine's story is not unique. Analysis by BBC News shows the numbers starting treatment within the target time have fallen during the pandemic.

And some trusts are struggling to start treatment for even half of patients in the recommended timeframe - two months following an urgent referral from their GP.

About one in every four of the patients waiting the longest has postponed treatment themselves - and nurses at the trust have been phoning and pleading with them to have treatment.

This reluctance to come forward coupled with problems accessing GP and screening services at points in the pandemic is the reason why the number of patients coming forward for checks and being diagnosed has dropped.

Analysis by Macmillan Cancer Support suggests across the UK there are 45,000 "missing" cancer patients.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 13 May 2021