SCOT welcomes the work from the University of Aberdeen and the wider team from across Scottish Orthopaedics. It highlights the significant concern that SCOT has consistently expressed about the remobilisation of planned Orthopaedic care over the past two years.
Orthopaedic surgery is highly effective at restoring the ability to participate in life and work. For many, it relieves very significant impairment of quality of life. Current delivery across Scotland is variable and sub-optimal.
SCOT recognises the significant local challenges and their roots in the Scottish, UK and global context. Health systems across the globe continue to attempt to recovery from a once in a century event. SCOT welcomes the openness of the Scottish Government in its engagement with the Scottish Orthopaedics.
National Treatment Centres are expected to contribute to further recovery. Their capacity was planned before COVID-19 as additional capacity and as such they are only a small part of the resource required for our recovery. All Health boards must urgently provide credible insulated planned care facilities to ensure that ongoing activity can occur to redress the significant accumulated backlog while providing capacity for urgent cases.
Link to BJR Research Paper
