Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK
Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of multiple COVID-19 waves on UK gynaecological-oncology services. Methods: An online survey was distributed to all UK-British-Gynaecological-Cancer-Society members during three COVID-19 waves from 2020 to2022. Results: In total, 51 hospitals (includ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/4/1273 |
| _version_ | 1797621842327896064 |
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| author | Samuel Oxley Ashwin Kalra Michail Sideris Nicole Itzkowitz Olivia Evans Emma Christine Atakpa Adam R. Brentnall Nina Dworschak Faiza Gaba Rhian Gabe Sudha Sundar Nick Wood Shibani Nicum Alexandra Taylor Stephen Dobbs W. Glenn McCluggage Andy Nordin Rosa Legood Sean Kehoe Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami Ranjit Manchanda |
| author_facet | Samuel Oxley Ashwin Kalra Michail Sideris Nicole Itzkowitz Olivia Evans Emma Christine Atakpa Adam R. Brentnall Nina Dworschak Faiza Gaba Rhian Gabe Sudha Sundar Nick Wood Shibani Nicum Alexandra Taylor Stephen Dobbs W. Glenn McCluggage Andy Nordin Rosa Legood Sean Kehoe Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami Ranjit Manchanda |
| author_sort | Samuel Oxley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of multiple COVID-19 waves on UK gynaecological-oncology services. Methods: An online survey was distributed to all UK-British-Gynaecological-Cancer-Society members during three COVID-19 waves from 2020 to2022. Results: In total, 51 hospitals (including 32 cancer centres) responded to Survey 1, 42 hospitals (29 centres) to Survey 2, and 39 hospitals (30 centres) to Survey 3. During the first wave, urgent referrals reportedly fell by a median of 50% (IQR = 25–70%). In total, 49% hospitals reported reduced staffing, and the greatest was noted for trainee doctors, by a median of 40%. Theatre capacity was reduced by a median of 40%. A median of 30% of planned operations was postponed. Multidisciplinary meetings were completely virtual in 39% and mixed in 65% of the total. A median of 75% of outpatient consultations were remote. By the second wave, fewer hospitals reported staffing reductions, and there was a return to pre-pandemic urgent referrals and multidisciplinary workloads. Theatre capacity was reduced by a median of 10%, with 5% of operations postponed. The third wave demonstrated worsening staff reductions similar to Wave 1, primarily from sickness. Pre-pandemic levels of urgent referrals/workload continued, with little reduction in surgical capacity. Conclusion: COVID-19 led to a significant disruption of gynaecological-cancer care across the UK, including reduced staffing, urgent referrals, theatre capacity, and working practice changes. Whilst disruption eased and referrals/workloads returned to normal, significant staff shortages remained in 2022, highlighting persistent capacity constraints. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:01:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32de8e7ea3934bf0adc576ab43bd3f19 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:01:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-32de8e7ea3934bf0adc576ab43bd3f192023-11-16T19:38:42ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942023-02-01154127310.3390/cancers15041273Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UKSamuel Oxley0Ashwin Kalra1Michail Sideris2Nicole Itzkowitz3Olivia Evans4Emma Christine Atakpa5Adam R. Brentnall6Nina Dworschak7Faiza Gaba8Rhian Gabe9Sudha Sundar10Nick Wood11Shibani Nicum12Alexandra Taylor13Stephen Dobbs14W. Glenn McCluggage15Andy Nordin16Rosa Legood17Sean Kehoe18Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami19Ranjit Manchanda20Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKDepartment of Gynaecological Oncology, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKInstitute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKLancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston PR2 9HT, UKInstitute of Cancer Research, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UKRoyal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London SW3 6JJ, UKBelfast City Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT9 7AB, UKDepartment of Pathology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UKEast Kent Gynaecological Oncology Centre, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate CT9 4AN, UKDepartment of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UKInstitute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKFaculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UKWolfson Institute of Population Health, Cancer Research UK, Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UKBackground: This study aimed to assess the impact of multiple COVID-19 waves on UK gynaecological-oncology services. Methods: An online survey was distributed to all UK-British-Gynaecological-Cancer-Society members during three COVID-19 waves from 2020 to2022. Results: In total, 51 hospitals (including 32 cancer centres) responded to Survey 1, 42 hospitals (29 centres) to Survey 2, and 39 hospitals (30 centres) to Survey 3. During the first wave, urgent referrals reportedly fell by a median of 50% (IQR = 25–70%). In total, 49% hospitals reported reduced staffing, and the greatest was noted for trainee doctors, by a median of 40%. Theatre capacity was reduced by a median of 40%. A median of 30% of planned operations was postponed. Multidisciplinary meetings were completely virtual in 39% and mixed in 65% of the total. A median of 75% of outpatient consultations were remote. By the second wave, fewer hospitals reported staffing reductions, and there was a return to pre-pandemic urgent referrals and multidisciplinary workloads. Theatre capacity was reduced by a median of 10%, with 5% of operations postponed. The third wave demonstrated worsening staff reductions similar to Wave 1, primarily from sickness. Pre-pandemic levels of urgent referrals/workload continued, with little reduction in surgical capacity. Conclusion: COVID-19 led to a significant disruption of gynaecological-cancer care across the UK, including reduced staffing, urgent referrals, theatre capacity, and working practice changes. Whilst disruption eased and referrals/workloads returned to normal, significant staff shortages remained in 2022, highlighting persistent capacity constraints.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/4/1273COVID-19multidisciplinary teamgynaecological cancer |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Oxley Ashwin Kalra Michail Sideris Nicole Itzkowitz Olivia Evans Emma Christine Atakpa Adam R. Brentnall Nina Dworschak Faiza Gaba Rhian Gabe Sudha Sundar Nick Wood Shibani Nicum Alexandra Taylor Stephen Dobbs W. Glenn McCluggage Andy Nordin Rosa Legood Sean Kehoe Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami Ranjit Manchanda Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK Cancers COVID-19 multidisciplinary team gynaecological cancer |
| title | Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK |
| title_full | Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK |
| title_short | Impact of Multiple COVID-19 Waves on Gynaecological Cancer Services in the UK |
| title_sort | impact of multiple covid 19 waves on gynaecological cancer services in the uk |
| topic | COVID-19 multidisciplinary team gynaecological cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/4/1273 |
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