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| Coronavirus: Planned surgery cancelled in Wales | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Planned surgery is to be cancelled in Wales as the NHS gears up to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. | |
| Cutting back on so-called "elective" operations - those waiting for non-urgent treatment - had been put forward as one of the likely options as the pandemic escalates and more patients with the virus need treating. | Cutting back on so-called "elective" operations - those waiting for non-urgent treatment - had been put forward as one of the likely options as the pandemic escalates and more patients with the virus need treating. |
| Routine outpatient appointments will also be put on hold. | Routine outpatient appointments will also be put on hold. |
| Waiting time targets and monitoring are also being relaxed. | Waiting time targets and monitoring are also being relaxed. |
| Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: "I am choosing to act now before we see a significant surge in demand so that our services can be ready to act. A larger number of people requiring high levels of care is highly likely over the coming weeks." | Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: "I am choosing to act now before we see a significant surge in demand so that our services can be ready to act. A larger number of people requiring high levels of care is highly likely over the coming weeks." |
| Mr Gething stressed that access to cancer and other essential treatments such as kidney dialysis would continue. | Mr Gething stressed that access to cancer and other essential treatments such as kidney dialysis would continue. |
| The minister said the priority was to save as many lives as possible, with 25,000 deaths in Wales possible in a worst case scenario. | |
| What actions have been outlined? | |
| EASY STEPS: How to keep safe | EASY STEPS: How to keep safe |
| First Minister Mark Drakeford said it was about making the "right decisions at the right time". | First Minister Mark Drakeford said it was about making the "right decisions at the right time". |
| Earlier on Friday, the Welsh Government hinted at the move, saying it would need to consider reducing planned activity. | Earlier on Friday, the Welsh Government hinted at the move, saying it would need to consider reducing planned activity. |
| There are currently about 390,000 referrals waiting for hospital treatment in Wales - including some patients on multiple waiting lists. These include 47,000 orthopaedic referrals. | |
| There were also 3 million outpatient appointments in the past year. | |
| This could mean some quite big operations, including heart surgery, will be postponed for people - particularly if patients require intensive care afterwards. | |
| But clinical decisions will have to be made if the conditions of patients deteriorate as they wait and they become emergencies. | |
| We are used to seeing the temporary cancellation of planned surgery used as a pressure valve in the NHS by individual health boards, to relieve demand during winter pressures. | |
| But in the wake of this crisis and the anticipated demand, to see this directed centrally by NHS Wales, is unprecedented. | |
| Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, welcomed the announcement. | |
| "We would ask members of the public to help by being patient and understanding as staff are working tirelessly," he said. | |
| "It is important to remember that we all have a responsibility to take precautions to minimise the chances of catching or spreading Covid-19". | |
| On Wednesday, a senior intensive care consultant warned about the supply of beds and staffing, because critical care units normally work at more than 90% capacity. | On Wednesday, a senior intensive care consultant warned about the supply of beds and staffing, because critical care units normally work at more than 90% capacity. |
| Dr Jack Parry-Jones, Welsh board member for the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said Wales was "uniquely at risk" if there was a surge of very sick people. | Dr Jack Parry-Jones, Welsh board member for the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said Wales was "uniquely at risk" if there was a surge of very sick people. |
| He said options included cutting back on routine surgery and turning operating theatres into extra intensive care facilities. | He said options included cutting back on routine surgery and turning operating theatres into extra intensive care facilities. |