
Dementia currently affects 1 in 14 people in the UK. Many people will either know someone with dementia, have had to support and care for someone with dementia or have been diagnosed themselves.
Screening, diagnosis, surgery and treatment have all been affected. In an area of medicine which is especially time-sensitive, this knock-on effect can be devastating. For some, the effect is on their quality of life; for others, it will mean the cancer has spread, and others will have a lower chance of survival.
Cancer Research UK and others have highlighted this issue and the need to improve patient care.
Their research found that for every week cancer screening is paused, 7,000 people are not being referred for further tests and 380 cancers are not being diagnosed through screening programmes.
Other research has tried to estimate the number of extra cancer deaths that could be caused by service disruption during the pandemic. The numbers of avoidable deaths range from 3,300 to 60,000.
Cancer Research UK’s Chief Clinician, Professor Charles Swanton, put it simply: “Patients shouldn’t need to wait for this to be over before getting the treatment they need.” He said it is possible to create a safe environment for both staff and cancer patients.
As a clinical negligence team with expertise in dealing with cases involving cancer, we have first-hand experience of how difficult it is to treat at any time, let alone during a pandemic. The earlier a diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment is given, the better the chances of recovery and survival. Thankfully the NHS has made significant advances in its screening and treatment of cancer in recent years which undoubtedly has saved lives, but the concerns highlighted by Cancer Research UK at this particular time, relating to potential delays in diagnosis and treatment, should not be underestimated in respect of the impact on positive outcomes.
We are only too aware that treatment for cancer will depend on its type, where it is in the body and how advanced it is at the time of diagnosis. The main forms of treatment are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone treatment for some types. Our previous cases show that if these treatments are delayed this can result in the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body, requiring more invasive and complex treatment, which ultimately may reduce the patient’s chance of long-term survival or cure.
If you have any questions relating to this e-briefing or concerns about cancer care you or a relative have received, please contact Ann Houghton who will be happy to speak to you on an initial free, no-obligation basis.
Dementia currently affects 1 in 14 people in the UK. Many people will either know someone with dementia, have had to support and care for someone with dementia or have been diagnosed themselves.
The 2022 Code replaces the NHF Code of Conduct 2012 (the 2012 Code) and sets out the baseline standards that the NHF expects of its member registered providers (RPs).
The High Court has dismissed a challenge by the Police Superintendents’ Association to the closure of legacy public sector pension schemes.
In my recent blog, I said that we would be issuing a series of ebriefings and blogs highlighting issues with the Procurement Bill. This is the first of these.
Contractors and delivery partners are facing a ‘perfect storm’ in many cases with a number of factors directly impacting upon the profitability of their work.
Worker status, like Piers Morgan, is one of those things that we think has gone away and then it pops up again!
We are seeing a steady trickle of decisions focused around the issue of flexible working requests or employer requirements for changes to working patterns (both pre and post the pandemic).
For those of us who have endured a choppy cross channel journey, the mention of P&O Ferries will invoke some nauseous memories.
Successive generations have witnessed seismic shifts in the workplace; post-war it was the return of the soldiers and the impact on working women who had to work in their place.
In this podcast, Puja Desai interviews Kimberley Foster and discusses her experience with counselling. This is a really helpful podcast for anyone who has thought about counselling.