Hospital admissions for seven major illnesses dip by 173,000 due to coronavirus pandemic

Hospital admissions for seven major non-Covid illnesses slumped by 173,000 as devastating new figures reveal the toll of the coronavirus restrictions.

NHS Digital data for England shows around 6,000 fewer admissions for heart attacks in March and April compared to 2019, and nearly 137,000 fewer cancer admissions from the start of lockdown to June.

Trends for patients who suffered strokes and diabetes, as well as dementia, mental health issues and eating disorders were similar, reports the Daily Mail.

The newspaper went on to say experts have found the figures alarming, with King's Fund fund think-tank senior analyst Gbemi Babalola claiming even now "fewer people are being treated" by the NHS.

Cancer Research UK chief Michelle Mitchell has also admitted the pandemic has had a "devastating impact" on cancer services and the lives of patients.

"And we're still not even close to knowing what the longterm repercussions could be," she added.

With the 'rule of six' coming into force today, adding to the local lockdown restrictions being added in Birmingham, Bolton and Greater Manchester, people may continue putting off seeing their doctor.

While many across the UK have seen their planned care, including scheduled appointments and treatments postponed.

NHS Digital data further shows the biggest dip in admissions was for dementia, down more than half in April compared to last year.

Meanwhile, mental health admissions were down 43 per cent, diabetes 36, strokes 17 and eating disorders 31.

Kelly Smith, aged 31, had been living with bowel cancer for more than three years when she died on June 13.

The mother-of-one told how she felt angry after her treatment, which she says was having positive results, was paused for 12 weeks at the start of the lockdown.

During the time of the delay she believed her cancer had progressed too far.

"I'm angry at COVID because it's me that had this six-week break. It's me that has been put in this situation."

While devastated dad, Sherwin Hall said he had been left fighting for his life in June after  coronavirus  delayed his cancer being diagnosed.

The 27-year-old, of Leeds, told of his heartbreak at learning he faced life-threatening illness after trying in vain to get medical attention.

He is the father of a newborn baby, who was just eight weeks old at the time.

He said he had attempted 13 times in one month to get a diagnosis for a crippling pain in his groin.

An eventual scan revealed Mr Hall had a tumour measuring 14cm in his pelvis and 30 small tumours in his lungs.

The Government said that as of 9am on Sunday, there had been a further 3,330 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

Tough new Covid-19 lockdown measures were announced for parts of the UK on Friday as cases continued to rise and as the R number - the reproduction number of coronavirus transmission - climbed above one.

According to Government advisers, the last time R was above one was in early March.