An NHS boss has warned Stockport’s health system ‘can't hide behind Covid’ as waiting lists for vital treatment look set to ‘get worse before they get better’.
Dr Cath Munro, clinical chair of Stockport CCG, told a governing body meeting that, while Omicron had taken its toll, there were also long-standing issues that needed to be addressed.
A report to the board noted a ‘deterioration’ in waiting times, due to the challenge of fully rolling out the vaccination programme before the end of 2021, combined with the impact of Omicron.
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Health chiefs were also told that staff sickness - both seasonal and Covid-related - was contributing to the problem.
The latest figures, for November, show the highest number of long waiters were in general surgery, gastroenterology and ENT [ear, nose and throat].
There had been a ‘significant deterioration’ in respect of the two week wait target for breast symptomatic referrals - where the GP does not suspect cancer - which dropped to 36.9pc compared to 72.2pc in October.
And the 62-day target for cancer treatment from first diagnosis was also missed, standing at 65.5pc, ‘mainly due to patients on complex pathways across multiple specialties who require additional investigations.’
Endoscopy waiting times were also said to ‘remain challenging’ although additional capacity has been 'sourced to meet demand'.
Dr Munro told the remote meeting that Covid had undoubtedly been a factor, but there were also issues that predated the pandemic by some time.
She said: “We can’t hide behind Covid, there were challenges before.
“Some of our most challenged specialties were challenged before Covid. It’s just noting that, it’s not [a case of] ‘Covid goes and everything sorts itself out’.
“We need to think about team structures, we need to think about the way we work and we need to think about staffing as well - which I know are all been considered.”
Dr Munro, a GP partner at Bracondale Medical Centre, continued: “But I think it’s worth noting that the situation before Covid was also, in some areas, a struggle.
“It’s just that things have got significantly worse and, again, Omicron set us back.”
Her comments came after Andrea Green, the CCG’s chief accountable officer, had told the meeting that the situation was not expected to improve in the short term.
“Looking forward, colleagues, I have to say our expectation is there will be further deterioration before we have improvement," she said.
Ms Green noted that non-urgent surgery and appointments had to be paused in Greater Manchester due to the impact of Omicron.
But she stressed that ‘people queuing are as important as people turning up at the front door’ - and some were enduring ‘very long waits at the moment’.
And while 'long-waiters' in cancer treatment had reduced, Ms Green said she was concerned Omicron could yet have an effect in this respect.
“I’m worried we will see an impact after this reporting period, [because] it was after this reporting period we had the big Omicron hit, but we don’t have that data yet.”
She added that it was vital health chiefs were honest with the public about the scale of the challenge.
“We have seen some national communications on ‘it’s going to get worse before it gets better’, that’s really important," she said.
“Then in terms of having the offer about supporting people while they wait, that’s a critical piece of work.”
Ms Green continued: “The recovery is going to take us several years.
“There is no way we can pull the NHS back to what it was pre-Covid within 12 months, I don’t believe any of us have a plan to do that.
“We will have some services recovered - let me be clear, that isn’t for everything - but in some areas that is a long term plan.”
She agreed with Dr Briggs that, while the impact of Covid could not be ignored, there were also ‘perennial challenges’ the NHS had not ‘got to grips’ with.
However, she said work was underway to get on top of the backlog, including allowing GPs to directly refer patients for an endoscopy, which will help with two week cancer waits.
Ms Green also noted the work of the frailty unit in helping A&E patients in need of ‘a particular aspect of support’, as well as ‘mobilising capacity’ within mental health services.
And she said it was ‘really great’ to see health checks for people with learning difficulties and disabilities were now back on target, with up to 65pc of those eligible having one.
“That’s working with primary care colleagues through this really difficult time, we have actually got some really good improvements there,” she said.
GP practices were also carrying out health checks for those with a recognised serious mental health condition.
And Covid clinics have also been extended to the end of March, taking pressure off those working in primary care.
Stockport CCG’s governing board met remotely on Wednesday morning (February 16).
