NHS shut down more services during Covid than almost most of Europe trends now
The NHS shut down more services during the first year of the pandemic than almost every other country in Europe, a major study reveals.
Cancer-related surgery in UK fell by more than a quarter (26 per cent) in 2020 compared to 2019, potentially slashing patients’ survival chances.
It was the second-highest fall among the 30 countries analysed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ranking only behind Romania, which saw a 29.8 per cent drop.
In contrast, Denmark experienced minimal disruption to cancer surgery as a result of Covid, with only a 0.6 per cent fall over the same period, according to the 2022 Health at a Glance report.
Cancer-related surgery in UK fell by more than a quarter (26 per cent) in 2020 compared to 2019, potentially slashing patients’ survival chances
Britain also had the highest drop-off in elective surgeries in Europe during the Covid pandemic
More than 30 per cent of over-65s with a chronic condition had a health appointment cancelled or postponed during the first year of the pandemic in the UK, more than in Germany, Norway, Sweden, France and Switzerland
Cancer-related hysterectomies were particularly hard hit, with the number performed falling by more than a third (36 per cent) in the UK.
This was more than any other nation and compares to an average fall of 19 per cent among 21 EU countries who provided data.
Meanwhile, knee replacements in the UK fell by 68 per cent and hip replacement by 46 per cent