COVID-free sites in Wales “urgently needed” to recover cancer surgery services

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) is calling for COVID-free hospital sites to be set up in Wales to help deliver planned operations for cancer and other types of surgery.

The RCS’s comments come as Cancer Research UK in Wales warns that the response to treating patients in a safe, COVID-free environment has been too slow.

Speaking as the Royal College of Surgeons published new guidance to help Health Boards manage the backlog of planned operations during and after the COVID-19 outbreak, Mr Richard Johnson, a Consultant Breast Surgeon and Director (Wales) of the Royal College of Surgeons, said:

“We must have COVID-free sites to treat patients requiring urgent and planned surgery. These should be planned strategically across Wales.  While managing coronavirus has rightly been our focus, now we need to help those people who have had their surgery delayed. We know that there are many people waiting for critical surgery. Our new guidance provides a framework to help manage the backlog of elective operations and re-start surgery safely.

“We urgently call on the Welsh Government to take action to help those working on the NHS frontline to protect all patients during this pandemic.”

Notes to editors

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is a professional membership organisation and registered charity, which exists to advance surgical standards and improve patient care.

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