BHF comment
One in four people waiting over four months for their heart surgery and other heart procedures
One in four people are waiting over four months for their heart operations or other heart procedures, according to British Heart Foundation analysis of NHS England data published today.
In total, almost 204,000 people were on waiting lists for invasive heart procedures and operations by the end of February 2021 in England. Available NHS data reveals that there has been a 50 per cent rise in people waiting 18 weeks or longer for a heart operation or heart procedure, with 48,390 waiting in February 2021 compared to 32,186 before the pandemic.
Over 5,000 people had waited more than a year for a heart surgery or other procedure by the end of February 2021, compared with just 28 people in the same month the previous year – 180 times more.
Disruption caused by pandemic
The NHS is heroically doing all it can to treat everyone who needs care, but these figures again highlight that potentially life saving treatment for heart patients continues to be disrupted by the pandemic. Examples of disrupted heart operations include coronary artery bypass, heart valve and congenital heart disease surgery, and examples of affected invasive procedures may include stents or balloons to open blocked arteries, and procedures to treat heart valve disease.
Nearly a third fewer heart operations and procedures were performed in February 2021 compared to the same month last year in England [38,255 v 26,590].
Now Covid-19 has receded, we're calling on the resumption of ‘routine’ heart operations and procedures across the country as an urgent priority. When people with heart disease wait longer for treatment, their condition could worsen, which increases their risk of avoidable heart failure and preventable death.
In the first year of the pandemic, there were over 5,500 excess deaths from heart diseases and stroke in England, and delays to care have likely contributed at least in part.
Investment in cardiovascular care
We're urging the Government to give the NHS the additional support it needs to address the vast backlog of people awaiting care, including those with heart conditions. A commitment to substantial and ongoing investment in cardiovascular care is needed now beyond what has already been pledged. This would help to ease the extreme and sustained pressure on the health service and meet plans to transform the NHS into a world-class health service.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist: “The efforts of the NHS have been heroic and it has remained open for everyone who needed emergency heart and stroke care at all times throughout the pandemic. Nevertheless, for people with heart and circulatory diseases, there has been widespread disruption at every stage of their care during the pandemic.
“The longer people wait for routine heart care and treatment, the higher the risk that they could become more unwell, or even die. Sadly, what we now know is that these significant delays are already likely having tragic consequences, given there have been extra deaths from heart and circulatory diseases not related to Covid-19. It will take many months and even years for the true toll of the pandemic to become clear.
“Despite the drop in Covid-19 cases, the backlog of cardiovascular care continues to grow and it has become urgent that this is addressed. To do this, there must be a clear plan to support the exhausted NHS, and a commitment now to substantial and ongoing investment for the health service.”