Abstract
Hand surgery services had to rapidly adapt to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of the Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network #RSTNCOVID Hand Surgery survey was to document the changes made in the UK and Europe and consider which might persist.A survey developed by the Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network, in association with the British Association of Hand Therapists, was distributed to hand surgery units across the UK and Europe after the first wave of COVID-19. It was completed by one consultant hand surgeon at each of the 44 units that responded.Adult and paediatric trauma were maintained but elective services stopped. Consultations were increasingly virtual, and surgery was more likely to be under local anaesthetic and in a lower resource setting.Many of the changes are viewed as being beneficial. However, it is important to establish that they are clinically and cost effective. These survey results will help prioritise and support future research initiatives.
Highlights
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS– CoV–2) outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on the 11th March 2020.1 In the UK, the National Health Service prioritised caring for patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and delivering emergency care and cancer services
This effort was part of the Royal College of Surgeons of England’s COVID-19 research portfolio.5 #RSTNCOVID Hand was comprised of three projects; a hand surgery unit survey completed by consultant surgeons, a hand therapy survey completed by hand therapists and a service evaluation, assessing changes to the management of common hand trauma conditions during the pandemic
We present the results of the hand surgery unit survey
Summary
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS– CoV–2) outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on the 11th March 2020.1 In the UK, the National Health Service prioritised caring for patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and delivering emergency care and cancer services. The Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network (RSTN), the UK network for plastic and hand surgery clinical trials established #RSTNCOVID to document the change in service provision and management of common conditions during the first wave of COVID-19. This effort was part of the Royal College of Surgeons of England’s COVID-19 research portfolio.5 #RSTNCOVID Hand was comprised of three projects; a hand surgery unit survey completed by consultant surgeons, a hand therapy survey completed by hand therapists and a service evaluation, assessing changes to the management of common hand trauma conditions during the pandemic. We present the results of the hand surgery unit survey
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