NHS rationing putting hernia patients' lives at risk, say surgeons

[Northerner]

Patients with hernia problems are being left in pain and at risk of needing emergency surgery, and even of death, because the NHS is increasingly rationing surgery to treat it.

The number of NHS bodies across England that are restricting access to inguinal hernia surgery has doubled since 2014 as a result of cost cutting, surgeons have warned.

Almost six in 10 (57%) NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) “are denying patients quick access to the procedure”, claimed the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and the British Hernia Society.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...ng-hernia-patients-lives-at-risk-say-surgeons

 

[mikeyB]

This is muddle headed. This is such simple surgery, it’s a quick win. A strangulated hernia is a medical emergency, and much more costly and time consuming to correct surgically, and there is an increase in morbidity and mortality that goes with that.

I suppose at least there will be a benefit to the medical truss industry.