According to research undertaken by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), it may take more than a decade to clear the cancer treatment backlog in England as a result of the impact of the pandemic on medical services.
IPPR Research – Building back cancer services in England
The research shows that there is an estimated 19,500 people who should have been diagnosed with cancer but have not been due to missed referrals. It goes on to state that if hospitals are able to achieve a 5% increase in the number of treatments and procedures above pre-Covid-19 levels, it would take until 2033 to clear the cancer treatment “missing patients backlog“. If hospitals are able to achieve a 15% increase, backlogs could be cleared as soon as next year.
However, in order for hospitals to reach either target percentage, it would require additional finances for new equipment and NHS staff.
As mentioned previously, the primary reason for the backlog is the pandemic, which has meant that there has been a:
- 37% decline in endoscopies;
- A 25% drop in MRI scans; and
- A 10% drop in CT scans.
The report also shows that whilst the number of people who require treatment for cancer hasn’t changed that much since the outbreak of Covid-19 that between then (March 2020) and February 2021 that:
- 369,000 fewer people than anticipated were referred to a specialist with suspected cancer – a 15% drop on the previous year –;
- There were 187,000 fewer chemotherapy treatments – 7% less than the year before –; and
- There were 15,000 fewer radiotherapy treatments – 13% less than the previous year.
Further, the IPPR estimates that the number of cancers diagnosed while they are still curable has dropped from 44% before the pandemic to 41%. Unfortunately, the research also claims that for thousands of people it is now too late for their cancer to be cured.
IPPR research fellow and NHS doctor, Dr Parth Patel, commented on the research:
“The pandemic has severely disrupted cancer services in England, undoing years of progress in improving cancer survival rates.
“Now the health service faces an enormous backlog of care that threatens to disrupt services for well over a decade. We know every delay poses risks to patients’ chances of survival.
“Clearing the cancer care backlog before the next general election looks unlikely with the way the NHS is currently resourced, staffed and organised.
“The funding announced this month is just about enough to keep the health service afloat, but does not provide the funds needed to bring down pandemic backlogs as quickly as possible or transform service quality.
“The Government has pledged to improve cancer survival in this country, which lags far behind most similar countries.
“That will take investment in diagnostic kit, immediate and long-term plans to expand the workforce and much bolder policy on prevention.”
Comment
Clearly, Covid-19 was always going to have a detrimental impact on medical services and there is a long road ahead for the NHS to get back on track whilst dealing with the ongoing battle against it.
That being said, the numbers being reported by the IPPR in respect of cancer treatments are highly concerning and with the NHS already under so much pressure, it is worrying to think how it will be able to reach a 5% or 15% increase in the number of treatments and procedures it provides (above pre-Covid-19 levels) without the Government providing it with considerable support and funding.
Patient safety is at risk, as is the wellbeing of NHS workers, and it needs to be at the top of the Government’s list of priorities to help them be provided with the treatment they need.
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Danielle Young is a Senior Associate in our Medical Negligence team.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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