An estimated 40,000 tumours ‘missed’ during first year of Covid pandemic

According to official statistics, up to 40,000 cancers went undiagnosed during the first year of Covid, laying bare the ‘true and catastrophic impact’ of the pandemic.

 

In the year 2020, 290,000 people in England were diagnosed with cancer, down by approximately a tenth on the previous year, the biggest drop logged since records began fifty years ago.  It means 100 fewer Britons daily received a diagnosis, equating to one every 13 minutes, prompting fears of a cancer timebomb.  Half of the missed tumours are thought to be breast and prostate cancers.

 

Experts today warned the figure could be just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ as the backlog in diagnosis is ‘still present and actually growing’, with many patients facing ‘agonising’ delays.

 

Minish Patel, Macmillan Cancer Support’s head of policy, said “We have been sounding the alarm on the impact of the backlog for two years now.  But it does not make it any easier to see the true and catastrophic impact of the pandemic laid bare like this.

 

“Today, delays in being diagnosed and treated for cancer remain an agonising reality for tens of thousands of people.

 

“There simply aren’t enough professionals to care for people living with cancer, and despite their best efforts, this is leaving existing staff struggling under ever-increasing workloads.  This is unsustainable, and unsafe.

 

“Every person who waits too long to hear the life-changing news that they have cancer is also faced with a potential risk to their chances of survival.

 

“This is devastating and frightening for cancer patients and can have a real impact on their mental health and wellbeing.  It doesn’t need to be this way.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of 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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