Covid: Public in dark about NHS staffing issues, ex-consultant says

A former consultant cardiologist whose own operation was postponed has urged hospitals to be more open about the impact of rising Covid cases.

Dr Alan Mackintosh was due to have his prostate removed but was told the last-minute cancellation was needed as staff expected an influx of virus patients.

He said the public "needs to be made aware of what's going on".

St James's University Hospital, in Leeds, said it was working to reschedule his appointment.

Dr Mackintosh, who worked as a consultant until 2008 at the Yorkshire Heart Centre at Leeds General Infirmary, was due to undergo surgery last Saturday.

But he was told the day before that the operation had been postponed.

"People talk about the health service being overwhelmed - but the health service will never collapse," he said.

"What it will do is it will get progressively worse, with operations being postponed, healthcare being reduced in a number of ways.

"I am aware that it is going to be affecting hundreds of people, so this needs to be generally recognised and incorporated in whatever way is necessary."

"This message that Covid is over and we can all relax a bit may be true in London, but it is not the case in Yorkshire.

"There seems to be some way to go yet and I think it is going to get worse before it gets better."

Latest NHS England figures show Covid-related staff absences at hospitals in England have risen sharply since Omicron took hold last month, with the number of workers off sick for Covid-related reasons trebing since the beginning of December.

Dr Phil Wood, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Due to the challenging operational pressures caused by a substantial increase in inpatients with Covid-19, staff isolating and demand for urgent care, we have moved some planned elective operations this week to ensure patients who require urgent treatment are prioritised.

"We are working to reschedule operations as soon as we can.

"We understand this is worrying and want to assure our patients that we are constantly reviewing the situation as part of our commitment to achieving timely and safe care for everyone."

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