Glenrothes and Central Fife MP Peter Grant has reminded his constituents that they should still seek help from the NHS if they are concerned that they may be seriously ill. Mr Grant made his comments after NHS authorities and major charities expressed concerns at a fall in the number of people seeking help for possible strokes, cancers and other potentially fatal conditions. Recently Scotland’s interim Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith, commented that some hospital wards are “eerily quiet” amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Peter Grant MP says he is concerned that people may be putting off contacting their GP because they are worried about “being a burden” on the NHS.
He said, “It’s obvious that people’s regard for the NHS is even higher now than it usually is and it’s understandable that some people may think their symptoms are not important enough to worry about just now, but 25 people a day in Scotland are still having strokes, people are still developing symptoms that could be an early warning of cancer or other serious illnesses.
“We all understand that Coronavirus is at the forefront of our minds right now, and we’re all being super vigilant not to unnecessarily over burden the health service, but if you have even a minor stroke it’s a medical emergency and you can’t afford to wait until after the pandemic is over. Similarly with many kinds of cancer, if you spot the warning signs and speak to your GP there’s a much better chance that you’ll get an early diagnosis and early treatment.
“Your initial consultation may be by phone or video link rather than in person at the doctor’s surgery but you’ll still get the care you need.
“The NHS is doing a terrific job in the fight against the coronavirus but it’s still there for everyone else as well.”