NHS sets out second phase of the epidemic

In a letter to local trusts and GPs, Sir Simon Stevens has set out plans for the second phase of the coronavirus epidemic, including ‘return to normal’ within six weeks.

The chief executive of NHS England said urgent outpatient appointments should go ahead and routine surgery could be restarted, but maintained that GPs should continue to use online consultations.

There have been concerns people are not seeking medical care as they normally would because they are afraid of catching the virus and over-burdening the NHS.

The letter sets out the NHS's approach in the coming weeks, following a drop of nearly 5,000 hospital patients with coronavirus per day over the past two weeks in England. Other recommendations within the letter include: restarting routine elective surgery, with priority given to ‘long waiters’; protecting and delivering cancer surgery and treatment, by ensuring cancer hubs are working properly; bringing back cancer referrals and diagnostic appointments to pre-coronavirus levels; ensuring heart-attack and stroke patients receive the care they need; and GPs contacting patients ‘shielding’ at home.

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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