BBC News
By Paul Lynch
image captionDiagnostic tests fell dramatically in England during the first six months of the pandemic
Millions of people missed out on potentially life-saving scans when non-Covid-19 NHS services almost ground to a halt this year, analysis shows.
In England, at least 4.4 million fewer scans were performed between April and September this year compared to the same period in 2019.
One in seven people are now waiting more than three months for a scan as the NHS attempts to clear the backlog.
NHS England says some services are now back to the same levels as last year.
Millions of medical scans were cancelled during the first wave of the Covid crisis as NHS hospitals scrambled to free up space for coronavirus patients, data shows.
Hospitals were forced to cancel non-urgent appointments and turf out thousands of patients in March and April when the virus first exploded in Britain.
As a result, MRI and CT scans, X-rays and other crucial procedures used to diagnose cancer and other serious illnesses were put on hold for millions of people.
A reduction in scans is a sign that people could not get access or didn t seek medical care when they should have. Britons may have avoided NHS treatment out of fear of catching the coronavirus, been unable to get an appointment, or had tests or follow-ups delayed.
Several major hospitals began cancelling routine surgery last night as they struggled to cope with rising admissions for Covid-19.
NHS trusts in London, Essex and Kent said they were under pressure, with some forced to divert ambulances and cancel non-urgent surgery to free up beds.
Thousands of patients are expected to be affected. Yesterday a record 35,383 new coronavirus cases were reported in the UK, with the number of patients in hospital with the infection at its highest since mid-April.
There have been 160,878 new infections over the past seven days – up 41 per cent on the previous week.
However, yesterday s dramatic leap was partly due to an IT glitch leading to a delay in reporting 11,000 positive tests in Wales. London is currently the worst-hit region, followed by the South East.
news
Cancer scan backlog raises late detection fears
Millions of people missed out on potentially life-saving scans when non-Covid-19 NHS services ground to a halt during the pandemic, analysis shows.
In England, at least 4.4 million fewer scans were performed between April and September this year compared to the same period in 2019.
One in seven people are now waiting more than three months for a scan as the NHS attempts to clear the backlog.
NHS England says some services are now back to the same levels as last year.
But professional bodies and Cancer Research UK say the period of inactivity has left a backlog that could leave a swathe of people presenting at hospital in a worsened condition.