We are all watching the news as the Covid-19 pandemic unfolds, but for those of you considering a career in Medicine, it is important you take time to consider the impact it is having on the NHS and those who work in it, as well as on who they care for.

Your task:

As preparation for starting on the MVD Pathway when you begin at College, you should choose one of the issues below to research. Your task is to submit slides that would go with a five-minute presentation on your given topic. The links below should get you started, but you may well be able to find more up-to-date sources of information once you make a start on your research.

Topics:

1. Testing

  • Why is it so important that healthcare workers are tested?
  • Why were other countries able to produce more tests sooner?
  • What different types of tests are available and are being developed?

https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/nhs-staff-can-access-covid-19-testing-government-insists/7027133.article
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52118781
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/02/coronavirus-testing-how-some-countries-germany-south-korea-got-ahead-of-the-rest
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/what-is-antibody-test-coronavirus_uk_5e74873bc5b6f5b7c541e53c?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20vc2VhcmNoP3E9Y29yb25hK3ZpcnVzK2FudGlib2R5K3Rlc3Qmc3JjPUlFLVNlYXJjaEJveCZGT1JNPUlFU1I0Tg&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFJKZMsK_2KCe6q1ktfbVnAItbG13GowNolM795ieK-uyZZUVV5L7ltQ98oGIPnLdrnqJi1lWmAfPKsjtxIp-m9Ye80gJBKlaPbRH1UIKy93mbPiMYudS-l15d0oEPa4GwE7XUe9xCwtRNr4jWCCN8TMnIinUUsOErjN-V2wc6i9

2. Personal Protective Equipment

  • What has been the impact of shortages of PPE on healthcare workers?
  • Was it right that hospital workers initially had better access to PPE than staff working in other settings such as care homes?
  • How does wearing PPE impact on healthcare workers’ ability to care for their patients?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-52204068/coronavirus-what-happens-in-an-intensive-care-unit
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-guidance-for-nhs-teams
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/06/residential-homes-desperate-for-ppe-as-two-care-workers-die

3. Masks

  • Should the general population wear masks in public?
  • Is it possible to measure the impact that compulsory mask wearing has had on stopping the spread of the disease in countries where this has been implemented?
  • What issues would compulsory wearing of masks create?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/07/can-a-face-mask-protect-me-from-coronavirus-covid-19-myths-busted
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/03/coronavirus-trump-says-cdc-recommending-voluntary-use-face-masks/2938705001/

4. Continuity of care for other conditions

  • Outline some of the difficulties GPs have faced treating patients with non-Covid related conditions.
  • What sorts of treatments have been suspended during the crisis?
  • What has been the impact of the crisis on cancer treatment?

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/coronavirus/cancer-and-coronavirus
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/

5. Ethical issues

  • Outline some of the difficult ethical decisions medical staff have had to take when carrying out their jobs during the pandemic.
  • How are doctors prepared for and supported in making these decisions?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/01/ventilators-may-be-taken-from-stable-coronavirus-patients-for-healthier-ones-bma-says
https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance

6. Mental health

  • What support is available to help NHS staff maintain their mental health during the crisis and how accessible is it?
  • What are the likely implications of social distancing and lock down for people with pre-existing mental health conditions?
  • Once the immediate crisis has passed, what might the longer term impact be on the nation’s mental health?

https://www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1622566/care-workers-get-who-tips-to-limit-mental-health-impact-of-coronavirus
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/hehttps://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/alth-51873799
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-nhs-staff-uk-mental-health-support-line-ptsd-warning-a9453011.html

7. Dentistry

  • What have been the main ways in which Covid19 has impacted on dentistry?
  • What counts as ‘essential’ dentistry?
  • How can dentists help patients remotely?
  • How will social distancing be achieved/will it be achievable in dental surgeries?

https://bda.org/advice/Coronavirus/Pages/faqs.aspx
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/dental-practice/

8. Veterinary Science

  • What have been the main ways in which Covid19 has impacted on veterinary medicine?
  • How have vets been re-deployed during Covid19?
  • How effective can remote treatment of animals be?

https://www.medivet.co.uk/coronavirus/phone-and-video
https://www.bva.co.uk/coronavirus
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/apr/09/vets-recruited-to-work-in-hospitals-during-coronavirus-outbreak

General resources

Medic Portal Blog:

https://www.themedicportal.com/blog/covid-19-how-is-the-nhs-adapting/?utm_source=THE%20MEDIC%20PORTAL%20NEWSLETTER&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=nhsadapting&mc_cid=d63d7a3974&mc_eid=a3fcf2beb5

BBC Radio 4 More or Less Corona Special:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p087n42r

British Medical Association:

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19