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Clinic today done over the phone as has largely been the case since March. We have learned so much about what we can do but also about the limitations of telemedicine. Also why we need coordination of public health. THREAD
COVID-19 has taught us how joined up health, healthcare and public health need to be. I mainly deal with patients with heart problems like heart failure. Like many people with chronic diseases, they face a dual impact from the pandemic.
Directly, they are at risk from severe coronavirus infection. Indirectly, the care of their heart disease has been affected by system strain. Both these impacts were worsened by late lockdown, inadequate testing and tracing and unclear messaging.
For my patients, the public health lens can make sure: (i)their heart disease prevention and management remain local and national priorities; (ii) the right data and research inform their services returning to normal; (iii) as vulnerable patients, they are protected.
In hospital, we cannot always have those big picture views. Neither can a public health professional necessarily fulfil our roles. We all have limitations, but specialism, accountability and professionalism involve admitting that and working as a team.
It is the lack of admission of limitations of the people being contracted in, the lack of specialism of people being put in charge, and the lack of accountability or professionalism from our leaders which are bothering me about the scrapping of @PHE_uk .
I sincerely hope for the sake of my patients, who have been through enough, that coordination of public health, far beyond COVID-19, is not compromised in this sudden and unnecessary reorganisation.
