A CANCER survivor says people could die because of the sharp drop in the number of diagnostic scans being carried out by the NHS in Worcestershire during the Covid pandemic.
Figures for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust show that between April and September this year, 139,895 scans were carried out, compared to 206,015 in the same period in 2019 – that's 66,120 fewer scans, a drop of 32.09 per cent.
The scans are not just for suspected cancer but other serious conditions such as heart disease, where an early diagnosis is often vital for survival.
Barbara Moss, 66, from Worcester, was diagnosed with late-stage bowel cancer in 2006 and given just months to live. The health campaigner said the drop in scans was "simply not acceptable".