Figures show coronavirus impact on Calderdale & Huddersfield hospitals’ cancer referrals, waiting times & tests

The British Medical Association have said there was a “daunting and huge challenge ahead” for the NHS as latest performance figures painted a “very bleak picture”.

Hospital trusts throughout England have seen the impact of decisions to cancel routine treatment from March as virus cases increased, while also seeing a reduction in numbers referred and treated for cancer in recent months.

Research undertaken by think tank IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) found a drop in urgent cancer referrals in England by 250,000 between April and June, and warned the fall could lead to thousands dying from cancers that weren’t diagnosed early enough.

Exclusive analysis shows falling cancer referrals and delayed treatment have hit Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust just as hard.

Trust figures showed that 176 people waited for longer than a year for routine treatment, such as hip operations, at the end of June, and urgent GP referrals relating to suspected cancer between April and June were 1,362 lower than the same period last year.

Helen Barker chief operating officer at Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Trust, said of the figures “Our Trust, like all Trusts, is facing the biggest challenge in responding to the ongoing pandemic to ensure our patients continue to receive care which is both timely and safe.

“We know that the delays in treatment and care are of concern and are working closely with our own teams and our local GPs in the area and the numbers of patients receiving care is now increasing again. We ask our local communities to be reassured we are working hard to restore services and those patients with the most urgent clinical need will be our priority.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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