It “may not be necessary” for Bristol hospitals to become cancer surgery hubs for the region during the coronavirus lockdown, NHS leaders have said.
Doctors from the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance have made the case for consolidating cancer surgery in a “COVID-free hub” after national calls for cancer treatment to be prioritised wherever possible.
It said the hub should have a dedicated pool of anaesthetic and surgical consultants and enough PPE to avoid unnecessary exposure.
But NHS leaders said hospitals across the area are managing with the current demand on cancer services so the hub may not be necessary.
The cancer alliance said in its proposal: “The South West coronavirus trajectory is predicted to be later and more sustained than in other parts of the country.
“The risks of delaying cancer treatment until after the pandemic are greater.
“Maintaining cancer services on a separate site to coronavirus will enable caregivers to prioritise cancer treatments without competing with coronavirus cases, where the time pressures are more significant but not the capacity for patients to benefit.”
The cancer alliance said there will be challenging decisions every day about balancing the need to shield vulnerable patients from coronavirus, and the needs of individual patients who present with potentially serious health conditions.
It said requiring patients to test negative for Covid-19 before they entered a “cold site” would reassure those who are worried about receiving safe care.
The cancer surgeries which most commonly require critical care support are all provided locally by the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, and the North Bristol Trust, the cancer alliance said.
A report to the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) CCG’s governing body meeting on May 5 says the proposal is “unnecessary” due to the change in expected demand.
It says Bristol hospital trusts need to ensure they can manage their own cancer workloads before they offer mutual aid to other sites.
A BNSSG CCG spokesperson said: “Hospitals across the area are managing with the current demand on cancer services, meaning that a potential cancer hub may not be necessary.
“While some of the more complex surgeries and treatments require a hospital setting, we are maximising our current capacity for both cancer and more general elective surgeries by utilising space across independent sector sites.
“There has been both a national and local decline in cancer referrals in recent months despite referral services remaining open.
“We are encouraging anyone with a symptom that they are worried about to contact their GP practice as soon as possible for a consultation.
“Infection prevention and control measures are put in place across all care settings to keep both patients and staff safe.”
