A second peak of Covid-19 in the UK could increase the number of patients waiting for NHS services by 1.5 million, bringing the total waitlist to ten million by the end of the year, according to a free online waiting list estimation tool launched by Medbelle.
The tool makes use of publicly available NHS data and allows users to estimate waiting lists based on former NHS capacity. Capacity can be toggled by scenario, treatment required and individual hospital to get estimates on how long waiting lists will be in any given month.
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Under current policies, the tool estimates that more than seven million people will be waiting for treatment by the end of July.
Medbelle CEO Leander de Laporte said: “The possibility of a second peak dramatically increases the number of patients who will have to wait. We see that the most frustrating part for patients in these times is not knowing how long they will have to wait for surgery, so our tool provides patients with estimates of the situation of their local hospital, too. The information provided by our tool gives an orientation to patients when making a decision about how they will proceed in the coming weeks and months.”
