Dear all,
It may seem for some that the only topic of conversation at the moment is Coronavirus, particularly when it comes to our health. However, other illnesses and diseases have not gone away and it is important that you seek medical advice if you are unwell.
Research suggests that four in ten people in the UK are currently worried about being a burden to the NHS and local health services to go to their GP. There were also one million fewer visits to A&E in the UK in April, compared to 2.1 million visits recorded over the same period last year. Earlier this month the British Heart Foundation reported a fall of 50% in the number of people attending with heart attacks.
Canada have also reported that since mid-March, patient visits to emergency departments have dropped by up to a half.
Richard Nguyen, a general practitioner in Sydney’s Sutherland shire in Australia, said he’d seen patient numbers drop by more than 50% since lockdown laws came into place with other GP groups seeing drops of up to 80%.
It is worrying that people are not accessing the potentially life-saving care which is still available, even during the coronavirus crisis.
There is also growing concern that cancer diagnoses may be missed because people are not making appointments to see their GP if they have unexplained signs or symptoms. It is still vitally important to be vigilant for unexplained changes to your body. These changes or symptoms are often caused by non-cancerous illnesses, but it is still important to speak to your GP.
We encourage all our staff, and especially those who are shielding, to contact your doctor if you notice a change that isn’t normal for you. Don't delay in contacting your doctor, even if you are worried about what the symptoms might mean – and please don’t put this off because you are worried about contracting coronavirus.
Remember – you will not be wasting your doctor’s time.
Kind Regards,
The HR Team