The announcement by the Prime Minister on Saturday 31st October 2020 has confirmed there will be a second national lockdown beginning Thursday 5th November. This was called as a result of exponentially rising cases of COVID19 and consequent hospital admissions and deaths. There is a real concern that the NHS may be overwhelmed once more and plans are afoot to manage emergency and elective health services.

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However, one thing we have learnt through this pandemic is that the consequences of ignoring other medical conditions and not continuing with investigating and treating conditions such as cancer, can be more devastating. 

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It is important to seek medical attention despite the lockdown. Symptoms such as rectal bleeding or a significant change in bowel habit or weight loss are all features which warrant investigation. Finding problems earlier always result in better outcomes. Endoscopy, radiology and surgery services are continuing as normal in our practise as are consultations - these can be remote or face-to-face in Harley Street.

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A further important consideration and shown by this recent publication that we were part of with the COVIDSurg Group is that planned surgery (known as elective surgery) should be undertaken in a dedicated COVID-free site. The London Clinic operates as a clean site for elective surgery. This leads to fewer and less serious potential complications. Read the full article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Please adhere to the governmental advice but also be mindful of any new symptoms. We are here to help.

 

Take care,

Manish Chand

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