COVID-19 and cancer screening in Scotland: A national and coordinated approach to minimising harm.

Autor: Campbell C; Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scotland EH8 9AG, UK. Electronic address: Christine.Campbell@ed.ac.uk., Sommerfield T; Consultant in Public Health Medicine for National Screening Programmes, NHS National Services Scotland, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB, UK., Clark GRC; Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh, Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB, UK., Porteous L; GP Lead Cancer and Palliative Care, NHS Lothian, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG, UK., Milne AM; Detect Cancer Early, NHS Lothian, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG, UK., Millar R; Consultant in Public Health Medicine for NHS Lothian, Public Health & Health Policy, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG, UK., Syme T; National Specialist and Screening Directorate (NSD), NHS National Services Scotland, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB, UK., Thomson CS; Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh, Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB, UK.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Preventive medicine [Prev Med] 2021 Oct; Vol. 151, pp. 106606. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jun 30.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106606
Abstrakt: Screening is an important component of cancer control internationally. In Scotland, the National Health Service Scotland provides screening programmes for cervical, bowel and breast cancers. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the suspension of these programmes in March 2020. We describe the integrated approach to managing the impact of the pandemic on cancer screening programmes in Scotland throughout 2020. We outline the policy context and decision-making process leading to suspension, and the criteria and framework informing the subsequent, staggered, restart in subsequent months. The decision to suspend screening services in order to protect screening invitees and staff, and manage NHS capacity, was made after review of numbers of screening participants likely to be affected, and the potential number of delayed cancer diagnoses. Restart principles and a detailed route map plan were developed for each programme, seeking to ensure broad consistency of approach across the programmes and nationally. Early data indicates bowel, breast and cervical screening participation has increased since restart. Primary care has had to adapt to new infection prevention control measures for delivery of cervical screening. Cancer charities provided cancer intelligence and policy briefs to national bodies and Scottish Government, as well as supporting the public, patients and screening invitees through information and awareness campaigns. Emerging from the pandemic, there is recognition of the need and the opportunity to transform and renew both cancer and screening services in Scotland, and in particular to address long-standing workforce capacity problems through innovation and investment, and to continue to prioritise addressing health inequalities.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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