More than 25million GP appointments lost because of Covid amid warning crisis could lead to cancer deaths

MORE than 25 million lost GP appointments during the coronavirus pandemic could spark a spike in cancer deaths, experts have warned.

Cancer diagnoses have been delayed and long-term conditions have become worse, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

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The CQC said Brits have endured worse access to family doctors than before lockdown.

Fears have now grown that those with concerning health issues were struggling to see a doctor, the Telegraph reports.

Cancer Research UK said that since March more than 350,000 people who would normally get an urgent referral to hospital had not been to see doctors.

It comes after research that suggests the delays in diagnoses this year could mean an extra 35,000 deaths.

Ian Trenholm, the CQC chief executive, said: “As the country locked down, the number of GP appointments fell significantly.

“And there was a very, very definite move towards non face-to-face appointments.

“If looked at across the whole of the year, the number of lost GP appointments translates into millions of people potentially not getting those referrals on, for diagnoses like cancer and other conditions.”

f looked at across the whole of the year, the number of lost GP appointments translates into millions of people potentially not getting those referrals on, for diagnoses like cancer and other conditions.

Ian Trenholm, CQC chief executive

Health inspectors have raised concerns about the millions of people who have missed out on care as a result of lost appointments during the pandemic.

About three million people have missed cancer screenings since March, according to Cancer Research UK.

Cancer Research UK said in September, "with around 210,000 people being screened each week in the UK before the pandemic, the backlog of people waiting for screening has stacked up quickly – we put the figure at around three million so far".

Dr David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection research at the charity said: "Patients are being diagnosed at a late stage, where their cancer is deeply rooted and requires significant intervention, often with poor outcomes.

"This is a human tragedy, not just in terms of lives lost, but it also means more expensive treatments, hospital stays and monitoring.

"If we can turn this on its head and find cancer at its earliest stages when it’s easier to treat, not only will we be able to save lives on a vast scale, but we will be saving our NHS millions of pounds that would otherwise be needed for costly late stage treatments."

There was a very definite move from face-to-face appointments (to) the telephone or video online.

CQC's boss, Ian Trenholm

Charity Breast Cancer Now revealed this month that the coronavirus pandemic is responsible for as many as 986,000 women in the UK missing breast screening appointments, as screening services were put on pause.

Since the start of the pandemic, there were around 26million fewer appointments at GP surgeries, according to NHS Digital statistics.

Between March and August last year, there were 146.2m appointments made at GP surgeries in England.

But between March and August this year, just 119.5m appointments were arranged.

The CQC said some people are put off seeking help, including those "dissuaded" by signs on doors of practices while others are having trouble accessing care through the phone or online.

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The organisation's report highlights a "volatile picture" of deterioration and improvement in GP practices.

While the majority of GP surgeries are rated as "good", Mr Trenholm said there were long waits for routine GP appointments even before the pandemic.

He said that since the pandemic broke out, "it has generated a backlog".

Mr Trenholm explained that the health and care system needs to ensure that "no-one is left behind", adding: "There needs to be an active effort to go back and look for those people that are maybe sitting quietly at home that maybe have a lump or a bump and haven't gone to see their GP."

He has advised surgeries against putting "signs on doors or talking about services being restricted because of Covid.

The casualties are people. There is now a huge and growing backlog of people who need NHS care.

Dr Jennifer Dixon, Health Foundation CEO

Commenting on the report, Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the Health Foundation, pointed out that, "the casualties are people".

She said: "There is now a huge and growing backlog of people who need NHS care, which has built up because of the pandemic.

"The Government must not underestimate the time and investment that will be needed to tackle this very visible waiting list, with the avoidable suffering it represents."

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Dr Rosie Benneyworth, the CQC's chief inspector of primary care, said: "We know there has been a reduction in cancer referrals and that is likely to have an impact longer term on people getting appropriate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

"We know that people sometimes haven't had their long-term conditions followed up.

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"And that is likely to also have a long-term impact on their conditions as well as short-term impact of their long-term conditions not managed appropriately, such as asthma and diabetes."