Rise in cancelled operations due to bed shortages

Hundreds of planned operations was cancelled in Scottish hospitals during October due to lack of capacity as winter pressures begin to bite.

Lack of capacity has forced the NHS to cancel hundreds of operations. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Bed shortages were among the reasons for delays to patient treatment, with 549 planned procedures shelved due to lack of capacity compared to 488 the month before.

The figures from ISD Scotland reveal that 9.7 per cent of the total 31,491 planned operations were cancelled by the hospital or the patient, compared to just 9 per cent in September and 8.9 per cent in June.

This is equal to an average of 98 operations cancelled per day.

Jim Hume MSP said: “There are any number of good reasons why an operation might need to be postponed, but the increase in operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons is clearly a concern.

“The number of patients missing operations through no fault of their own has increased every month since June.

“We all want to see patients get the care they need as quickly as possible but at present, NHS staff are unable to accommodate nearly 550 patients a month who require surgery. Doctors and nurses are working flat out.

“With winter upon us, pressure on NHS services will only increase in coming months and SNP Ministers need to ensure that staff have all the support they need.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had 738 cancellations, while NHS Lothian saw 640 operations delayed in that time.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said only a small number of operations were cancelled for non-clinical reasons.

She said: “The decision for a board to postpone an elective procedure is never taken lightly. Health boards work to ensure disruption to patients is always kept to an absolute minimum, and any postponed procedures will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity.

“Of course we are working with health boards to makes sure we manage capacity and planning in order to keep cancellations to a minimum.

“I have also been clear with health boards that procedures for patients with the highest clinical need should not be cancelled.”