# Peritoneal malignancy in the global COVID-19 pandemic: experience of recovery and restoration in a high-volume centre through NHS and independent sector collaboration

## TL;DR

This paper discusses how a high-volume center managed to recover and restore treatment for peritoneal malignancy during the COVID-19 pandemic through collaboration between NHS and independent sectors.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating how NHS and independent sector collaboration restored complex cancer treatments during the pandemic.

## Key findings

- New patient referrals remained stable in 2020 compared to 2019.
- Collaboration between NHS and independent sectors helped recover CRS and HIPEC operations during the pandemic.
- 284 patients were treated in 2020, nearly matching the 2019 treatment numbers.

## Abstract

Treatment of peritoneal malignancy with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) requires substantial critical care, theatre and nursing resources. The COVID-19 pandemic caused challenges in providing a high volume, tertiary referral service.

We reviewed data on referrals and operations performed in a tertiary referral centre in both NHS and independent sector settings. The impact of COVID-19 on activity was assessed using 2019 as a benchmark.

New patient referrals were similar, with 891 in 2019 compared with 833 in 2020. Delivery of CRS and HIPEC operations were initially impacted by COVID-19. NHS and independent sector collaboration facilitated recovery, with 284 patients treated in 2020 compared with 280 in 2019.

Close collaboration and structural organisation between the clinical and management teams in the NHS and independent sectors facilitated recovery and restoration of a complex tertiary referral service for peritoneal malignancy during the COVID pandemic.