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Professional matters
Opinion
Challenges and opportunities of COVID-19 for gastroenterology and hepatology services
  1. Tony C Tham1,2,
  2. Andrew C Douds3,4,
  3. Rupert Ransford5,6
  1. 1 Immediate past Chair, British Society of Gastroenterology Clinical Services and Standards Committee, London, UK
  2. 2 Division of Gastroenterology, Ulster Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
  3. 3 Department of Gastroenterology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
  4. 4 Chair, British Society of Gastroenterology Clinical Services and Standards Committee, London, UK
  5. 5 Department of Gastroenterology, Hereford County Hospital, Hereford, UK
  6. 6 Deputy Chair, British Society of Gsatroenterology Clinical Services and Standards Committee, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Tony C Tham, Gastroenterology, Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast BT16 1RH, UK; tctham1234{at}gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2020-101611

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    We are all aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has had the most profound impact on society and healthcare in our lifetime. As we are now in the recovery phase of the pandemic, we have an opportunity to reboot and redesign our services including the way we work for the benefit of the patient.1 We will consider the challenges and opportunities for healthcare staff and services.

    Health and well-being of staff

    Many of our healthcare colleagues are also patients with chronic diseases and have raised concerns about time away from work because of shielding, effect on their mental health, uncertainty about whom to talk to about their condition and confusion about receiving conflicting advice.2 Time off work has also adversely impacted on rotas and teams. Healthcare workers from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background (BAME) are also rightly worried about their own risks from COVID-19 as evidence shows that they are more disproportionately affected with more severe disease.3 Public Health England has recommended that BAME healthcare workers should be risk assessed by their employers followed by any necessary precautions.4 Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was recognised that the well-being of healthcare professionals is an important factor in the provision of good service5 and the stress of the pandemic has brought mental as well as physical health into sharp focus. Many gastroenterologists want to change the way they work and redesigning services provides an opportunity to improve work–life balance in addition to the quality of care for patients. Many of our colleagues during the pandemic have seen the benefits of working from home during hours that suit them and would like to continue working flexibly.

    Training in gastroenterology and hepatology

    This has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with 66% of trainees not undertaking clinics and 53% feel that they are unlikely to achieve …

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