Anoosh Chakelian and Michael Goodier have reported on a worrying trend of seriously ill patients avoiding hospital under the lockdown.
The British Heart Foundation report a 50 per cent drop in admissions for serious cardiac conditions, while cancer referalls have fallen by almost 80 per cent in some areas. GP consultations have also plummeted.
The government’s “stay home” injuction could counterintuitively be leading to patients with chronic illnesses avoiding seeking treatment.
“Doctors fear a disastrous mix of patient reluctance and postponed referrals and procedures is creating a greater crisis further down the line”, writes Chakelian.
Related
Read the full story here: The quiet crisis of Britain’s missing patients
Content from our partners
