130,000 fewer heart procedures including operations since the pandemic began

Around 130,000 fewer heart procedures including operations have taken place than expected since the pandemic began, according to our analysis of NHS England data published today.

That is the equivalent of around 10,000 fewer heart procedures including operations taking place than expected each month in England since the pandemic began. Overall, there was a 26 per cent drop in the number of heart procedures including operations taking place in England – a total of 377,877 heart procedures and operations in the first 13 months of the pandemic, compared to 508,000 that would have been expected pre-pandemic.

Those waiting for a heart operation or other procedure are waiting longer than they did before the pandemic.

Available NHS figures reveal that there has been a 61 per cent rise in people waiting 18 weeks or longer for their heart operation or other procedure, with 51,703 waiting that long in March 2021 compared to 32,186 in the month before the pandemic.

Of these, 5,248 people had waited more than a year for a heart surgery or other procedure by the end of March 2021, compared with just 28 people before the pandemic began – 185 times more.

A vast and growing backlog

The NHS has been working relentlessly and innovatively to treat everyone who needs care, and the health service urgently needs support to help it tackle the vast and growing backlog of ‘routine’ heart operations and procedures.

Examples of disrupted heart operations during the pandemic include coronary artery bypass, heart valve and congenital heart disease surgery. Examples of disrupted invasive procedures may include stents or balloons to open blocked arteries, and procedures to treat heart valve disease. 

Now that Covid-19 has receded, we believe the Government must provide the NHS with enough support and investment to bring down long waiting times for vital heart care.

We need action now

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 5,800 excess deaths from heart diseases and stroke in England, and delays to care have likely contributed at least in part.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist, said: “Despite the heroic efforts of the NHS during the pandemic, care for people with heart disease continues to be significantly disrupted, with devastating consequences.

“The longer people wait for routine heart care and treatment, the more chance they could become more unwell, or even die.

"Significant delays to cardiovascular care have already likely contributed to thousands of extra heart disease and stroke deaths during the pandemic. Disappointingly, these latest figures again show a rise in waiting times and fewer heart treatments delivered. 

“As the backlog of heart care continues to grow, we need action to build back better, bigger, and fairer. What we need now is a clear plan and further, continued, and ongoing investment to help the NHS deal with the backlog.”

A briefing this week from the BHF warned that the devastating disruption to cardiac care during the pandemic could put lives at risk for years to come.

READ ABOUT THE DISRUPTION