COVID-19 Q&A: Lessons from other countries

COVID-19 Q&A webinar series

COVID-19 Q&A: Lessons from other countries 

The COVID-19 virus has spread across the globe at an unprecedented rate and has impacted the lives of individuals like no other in recent times. Since its initial identification in early December 2019, this virus has challenged governments and healthcare providers across the world and resulted in some of the strictest peacetime restrictions on communities we have ever seen.

Join the RCS Vice President and President Elect, Professor Neil Mortensen, on Thursday 28 May to discuss what we can learn from the global community, specifically from Italy and the US. He will be joined by Dr Steven Wexner, a Regent of the American College of Surgeons and Professor Antonino Spinelli, Director of Division of Colon and Rectal Cancer at Humanitas Research Hospital in Milan, who has been working on the frontline of Italy’s response to COVID-19.

Why should you tune in?

The UK identified the first cases of COVID-19 around the same time as Italy and after the USA. An exponential increase in the number of cases in Italy meant that lockdown was imposed a month ahead of the UK. They took the first steps towards easing measures in early May and we can learn a lot from our friends and neighbours on how to best manage the pandemic, following in their footsteps.

During this session we will aim to cover:

• the local impact of COVID-19; 
• how working on the frontline affects friends and family;
• re-deployment of teams to support the fight against coronavirus;
• surgical recovery plans - virtual clinics and managing the backlog;
• key differences in national approach between USA and UK. 

We want to ensure that we are supporting you and providing you with the most helpful information for yourself and your peers. Please get in touch with our events team with any questions or further topics you would like to be discussed during this session. 

For those unable to join the livestream on Thursday, the recording will be made available on our COVID-19 webinar page.

Further resources available

• Download our guidance for Recovery of Surgical Services tohelp handle the backlog of surgical work being created by the outbreak. In the coming weeks we will be launching a series of tools to support this guidance, stay tuned!
• Our Confidential Support & Advice Service now has a 24/7 helpline for emotional support. Please make sure you are looking after yourselves, and know that we are here for you.
• Get involved with our COVID Research Group, bringing together a network of people to collaborate on a range of different COVID-19 specific research projects, all in the hope to find some answers to the unprecedented questions.
• Are you currently working out of scope? We have picked out key parts of our learning catalogue that will help support those stepping into new roles or returning to healthcare on the front line.
• Read our good practice guide that provides you with recommendations on adapting surgical services, working in extended scope of practice, caring for end-of-life patients and protecting the workforce.
• Find out about how you can write for our COVID-19 blog series, and share your story. We want to hear from you!
• Discover our COVID-19 hub, providing you with the latest news and an extensive list of resources to support you.