One of the most difficult winters in the history of the Welsh NHS could be further exacerbated by a resurgence of Covid-19, a leading doctor has warned. Dr Gareth Oelmann, the new chairman of the British Medical Association's general practitioners committee in Wales, said the health service was already "buckling under pressure" but admitted that the worst of 2022 is yet to come.
The Cwmbran-based GP said demand on the NHS is now "year-round" with very little respite but he explained that specific issues arise during the winter months including a spike in respiratory illnesses such as influenza. Based on data from the southern hemisphere he predicted that Wales and the rest of the UK will see a "significant outbreak" of flu this year without the protections of social distancing or masks.
He called on people in at-risk groups to attend their Covid booster appointments and get their influenza jab when invited to do so to prevent another onslaught of patients descending on already-overcrowded hospitals. Dr Oelmann added that it will be tough for hospital staff to make significant inroads into the record-breaking backlog of planned appointments and procedures this winter as there are so many underlying challenges within the service. Here is the full interview with the experienced doctor:
